The Letter, the Locket, and the Lord
by coffeefur
Summary: FINISHED!Certain circumstances have brought Draco&Hermione a little closer together than usual…but will they let it affect them in any way?It’s funny how a simple tutoring can lead to so many things,even to the rising of a new lord...
1. Prologue

**Title : THE LETTER, THE LOCKET, AND THE LORD**

**Author : **FuJinGrL

**Rating : **Well…it's rated R for some lemony stuff…I would've written something more explicit, but since there's a no-NC-17-policy, please settle with what I have written :D 

**Genre : **Romance, Action, Adventure, Mystery

**Disclaimer : **I totally don't own Harry Potter (but yes, I wish I did :D) and this is solely for entertainment purposes only, oki? :D Please don't sue me or anything hehehe!:D And this is my first Harry Potter fic, so please read and review but please be gentle! Thanks and enjoy!:D

**Teaser : **Certain circumstances have brought Draco and Hermione a little closer together than usual…but will they let it affect them in any way? It's funny how a simple tutoring can lead to so many things, even to the rising of a new lord… **PROLOGUE** Voices… 

_'Get up, boy!'_

_I can hear voices…_

_'Do as I tell you!'_

_Everywhere…I can hear them…_

_'This is what you get when you dare defy me!'_

_Calling…_

_Screaming…_

_Demanding…_

_Pleading…_

_'Face the wrath you have placed upon yourself!'_

_Stop it…_

_'Perish under your own doings!'_

_Please…_

_'Suffer the consequences!'_

_I can't take it anymore…_

_Stop…_

_Stop…_

_STOP!!!_

_"!!!" He sat bolt up straight, panting heavily, beads of sweat trickling down his temples. He immediately glanced around, frantic, anxious, afraid. And he realized he was still in the safety of his four-poster bed, in the vicinity of his dormitory, the cool night breeze whispering through the open curtains. He sighed at the momentary tranquility, and buried his head into his hands, shutting his eyes close. Even with the usual sights and sounds of Hogwarts' nights, the image of whatever it was that was haunting his sleep was still lingering in his thoughts, and he couldn't get the picture out of his mind's eye. For the fifth night in a row._

_What the heck was happening to him?_

_He raised his hand to run it through his disheveled blond hair, but a shot of what felt like electricity went up through his arm, and slowly spread across his spine. Soon, the pain was all over his body. And it was then that he realized that his whole body was aching, like he'd just played Quidditch out in a heavy storm for three consecutive months._

_He involuntarily collapsed back into bed, his eyes wide open at the soreness of his body, the throbbing of his temples, and quite suddenly, the searing pain of his right hand. He glanced at it, and saw a gash the size of a Hippogriff's claw drawn right across the back of his hand. He held back a silent gasp as he watched fresh, dark red blood oozing through the cut. He instantly grabbed hold of the sheets in his bed and wrapped his hand shakily with them, finding it extremely hard to bear the pain._

_What was all this? Sleepless nights…recurring nightmares…pain all throughout his body…and now a physical injury…?_

_Was this some sort of game?_

_He wrapped the fast-reddening cloth tighter over the humongous wound to cut off the bleeding, and he opened his mouth in a silent cry of pain as more sweat beaded down his forehead. _

_The pain…it was no ordinary pain…it was as if someone was pressing a hot iron onto the wound, making the pain white hot and unbearable. What the hell was this?_

_He closed his eyes tight and tugged on the improvised bandage some more, and this time he couldn't help but emit a small sound. He held his breath to keep him from making any more noise, else his dorm mates would wake and find him in his predicament. Or mystery, rather._

_He took a deep breath and let it out slowly to relieve of the hurt, and shifted on his bed. This was going to be another sleepless night for sure, but at least tonight he wouldn't be having trouble trying to block out the horrible images of his nightmare playing over and over again right before him._

_He had the pain of the cut to give him solace tonight._


	2. The Beginning of the End

**PART ONE**

_The Beginning of the End_

"Okay, so do you mind explaining to us whatever it was you were doing in the common room after Harry and I went up to bed?" A red-haired boy with freckles cocked his eyebrow at his friend, grabbing a bun on the table and shoving it into his mouth absently.__

"I told you, Ron, I was doing some research," the girl beside him replied, shaking her bushy-haired head. "How many times do I have to tell you guys that the exams—"

"—are ages away," another boy to her right cut her in. He yawned and rubbed his blue-green eyes, adjusting his glasses. "Hermione, you can't possibly be studying for the exams already. We've practically just started term!"

Ron opened his mouth to say something more, but bits of bread came flying out instead. So he shut his mouth and just nodded his approval.

Hermione sighed. "Alright, alright, Harry; you win. I wasn't studying for the exams, but I _was_ doing some research. A research on my own grades."

Harry grinned, thinking it was a joke. "Why on earth would you want to research on your own grades?"

"I'm trying to check all my previous and current grades if I'd done well," she said.

"Oh, and blow your already air-blown head to an even bigger size? Or perhaps you're trying to match the size of Potter's overgrown ego?"

All three heads turned to the direction of the cold, drawling voice they all knew too well. And true enough, there was Draco Malfoy, their sworn enemy, Harry's rival, and, to their opinion, the most bloated, egoistic sadist to ever cross Hogwarts. The Great Hall fell silent.

Ron swallowed his bun and glared at him. "I don't remember any of us asking _you_ to drop in on our conversation, Malfoy."

"And I don't remember _you _having enough guts to actually talk back to me, you lowly weasel," Malfoy countered. "Better be careful where you use your newfound guts, though. We don't want your beggar-enough family to sink low in order to bail you out of Azkaban if you get into any fights." He placed his hand over his mouth in a mocking way. "Oh, I forgot; they can't sink any lower. My bad."

The Slytherin table of the pompous boy's House snickered, and Ron flared a shade even brighter than his hair. He grabbed hold of his wand and directed it at Malfoy.

"Ron, don't!" Hermione took hold of his wrist and put the wand down. 

"Ah, see what I mean, Weasel? Watch your wand, Redhead. I'm sure you don't want an encore performance of what happened in our second year, now, do you?" Malfoy laughed with the other Slytherins and sauntered away to his table.

"Malfoy's right, Ron; we can't afford to have you choking up slugs again," Harry told his friend soothingly, glaring at Malfoy out of the corner of his eye. And then he realized that Malfoy's right hand was wrapped in a bandage. "Someday soon, that git will meet his sticky end."

Ron broke free of Hermione's grasp and shoved his wand back into his robe pockets angrily. "You've been saying that for ages!!! For goodness' sake, we're in our _seventh year_ now! And look at what's happened to him! Nothing!!!"

Hermione grinned. "Well, he's grown more popular and more powerful with the Dark Arts. He's also one of the brightest students at Hogwarts, and an excellent Seeker. Practically half the school's females are in love with him," she bit back a grin as she looked at Ron's expression.

"RUB IT IN MY FACE, WHY DON'T YOU???" Ron exploded. Harry and Hermione laughed.

"Much as I hate to admit it, Hermione's right." Harry turned back to his food. "Too bad he's still an intolerable brat." He faced Hermione. "Anyway, enough about that slime. Why were you trying to find out if you have good records?"

"Well…as you can see…I'm Head Girl, right? And I'm supposed to get the best grades in school, right? But there's this one thing…this tiny little thing…that makes me really uncomfortable about my grades…and makes me wonder if I'll—"

"Call us when you're ready to get to the point," Ron interrupted impatiently.

"Okay, okay." She took a deep breath. "McGonagall wants to see me after first period. She wants to talk to me about my grades."

"WHAT???" Harry and Ron both almost fell from their seats. "What on earth could there possibly be to talk about?" Harry exclaimed.

"I know! That's why I'm worried," Hermione wrung her hands on her robes and lost appetite.

"Aw, c'mon, Hermione!" Ron patted her back. "I'm sure McGonagall just wants to tell you that you're too smart for this school already and that everyone's a fool when compared to you."

***

Malfoy grabbed his quills and parchments and stood up at the end of his first period Potions class, his mind whirling. His next task was not going to be easy…not easy at all. So far he'd done everything else in a cinch, even though he had to sacrifice a few of his classes. It was still worth avoiding the pain, though. He didn't want to be punished so he finished every task easily. But this time, the requirement for the last one was different. He was going to have to exert a little bit more effort into it. Just a little bit.

He was just about to catch up with his friends Crabbe and Goyle out the door, when a demanding voice held him back.

"Mr. Malfoy, could you please stay for a few minutes? I need to talk to you."

Malfoy rolled his eyes and nodded at the two to go on ahead without him. He turned around and walked to the Professor's desk. "What is it, Professor Snape?"

Snape leaned forward on his desk and rested his chin on his hands. He eyed the young man carefully. "As you most probably already know, Mr. Malfoy, you are one of the top students in this school. You're fairly excellent in your hexes and charms and all your magical skills, and you're simply brilliant in Potions. Not to mention your superb Quidditch skills are an admirable addition to the Slytherin team. I'm extremely proud that I have you in my House."

Malfoy smirked in spite of himself. "Why, thank you, sir."

"However," Snape continued, "There seems to be one field of study you do not excel at."

He cocked his eyebrow. "Yes, sir…?"

"Have you ever wondered why Longbottom was chosen as Head Boy this year instead of you?"

Malfoy frowned. "I'm sorry, sir, but what's that got to do with anything?"

Snape narrowed his eyes steadily at him. "You are failing History of Magic."

Malfoy didn't say a word. He knew perfectly well that he was bombing that subject, because History of Magic was one of the classes he was skipping to do his…duties. He was never reprimanded or marked absent, though. A Dummy Charm was enough to make a fake "Malfoy" convince Professor Binns that he was always present like the good boy he was.

"Hmmm…I see you do not seem surprised about my, _tragic_ announcement. I suppose you already expected it?" Snape continued in his oily manner. And still Malfoy didn't say anything. Snape sighed and leaned back against his chair. 

"Perhaps you truly are informed about your failure, Mr. Malfoy. But this one thing you do not know." Snape lifted a finger. "Your father, concerned as he was, requested the school to assign you a tutor."

This, clearly, caught his attention. He snapped his head up and gaped at Snape. "Excuse me?"

"A tutor indeed," Snape repeated. "Lucius Malfoy has generously…_compromised_ with the school, that whoever is assigned as your history tutor would be exempted from all exams of that same subject. He also _appealed_ that there not be a single student soul to know about this, save for you and your tutor, to spare him and yourself the ah, humiliation."

Malfoy was not done gaping. What was his father playing at? "But Professor, I can assure you that I can take care of my own grades. I don't need a fellow student's help, or anyone's help for that matter." His eyes twitched, as if to plead. "Surely, you trust that I can do it…?"

"My dear boy, I trust you more than anybody else," Snape explained. "But I'm afraid the decision is not mine to make. It is your father's. The Headmaster, too, protested, saying he believed in your abilities, but your father insisted. I believe there is nothing you, or I, can do." 

"…" Malfoy still had a billion protests tearing out his heart, waiting to be released, but true enough, he knew Snape had a point.

"Now, enough of this. I asked you to stay because you will be meeting up with your tutor right now. The school has allotted a room for you to study and to concentrate, and no one is to know that you are being tutored because the two of you will be having your sessions in that room every second period, since both of you have History of Magic at the same time, which you both will no longer need to attend. You will also meet during breaks and before lights out if necessary." Snape cleared his throat. "Therefore, no one, save for those loitering, will be able to see you. I shall lead you to your study now." He stood up, looking down at him, as if wanting him to ask more. But Malfoy kept silent and followed.

If there was one thing he'd learned all through his seventeen years, it was never to defy his father.

***

_Hmmm…_ she thought, her eyes darting back and forth around the small room. It wasn't really grand, nor was it big, but it wasn't bad. It was simply an unused classroom, with a few renovations made to make it more comfortable, almost like the Gryffindor common room. A fireplace was built across the secret entrance, and to the left were a few bookshelves of dusty history books. To the right were tapestries of the historical places in Britain, and in the middle of the room was a small desk with four chairs. There were two long couches on either side of the chairs, and a few pillows were scattered near them on the carpeted floor. Of course, the common room was still a great deal nicer, but this place was equally comfortable enough, though small it may be.

She shifted in her seat and sighed, staring at the flickering fire with her back to the entrance. McGonagall had talked to her earlier about her grades alright, but only to tell her that her grades were marvelous and outstanding, and that she had been chosen by the school to be a tutor of a certain student for History of Magic. The room was enchanted so that it would not be noticed and no one would be able to hear anything inside from outside, and the entrance was sealed by a statue of Wendelin the Weird, who would only step aside when given the right password. She was not to tell anyone else about this, and her History of Magic classes were covered by a dummy. She knew her grades were covered as well, but still she wished she could attend her classes and learn normally just like everyone else.

But here she was, sitting in an invisible room, waiting for her so-called tutee in secret. Whom, by the way, she didn't even know yet.

She was just about to get tired of waiting and leave, when she heard a voice outside mutter the password, "Nickel Knacks."

"I shall leave you now," Professor Snape said to the person who stepped inside, and left. She whirled around.

And she wished she hadn't.

"_Malfoy???"_

_"Granger???"_

Hermione stood up abruptly and pointed a finger at him. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"If it's any of your business, I'm supposed to be meeting someone here." Malfoy crossed his arms across his chest and smirked. "Now scram. Shouldn't you be off playing Who's The Better Suck Up with your little saint friends?"

All of a sudden Hermione's eyes went wide. Her hand flew to her mouth. "Hang on—_you're_ the student who's bombing History of Magic???"

Malfoy's smirk instantly faded away. "_You're_ the damn tutor???"

They stared at each other for a while, and then Hermione started laughing. "Gee Malfoy, no wonder you didn't get picked as Head Boy! The only difference between you and Neville is that _he_ actually has decent grades in history! And you actually cared to _plead_ the school for a tutor!"

"_Longbottom_ was a blundering _freak_ until the four year. He started having a social life when he reached the fifth year. _I_ am not like him at all," Malfoy smirked again. "And for the record, this is all my father's damn idea of a joke. Draco Malfoy does not plead, especially not to the likes of you, filthy Mudblood."

Hermione frowned. She'd grown used to him calling her that for about six years now, but each time he did, it still really hurt. 

"What, no comment?" Malfoy continued. "Finally shut you up for good? I would've thought an insufferable know-it-all like you would've had so much more to say, plus being my _tutor_ and all."  

"For your information, I don't like being here with you to tutor you for the whole year as much as you don't like me here, too." She clenched her fist. "But since I'm already doing you this favor, will you just shut up and try to be a civil human being for once?"

"My father _pays_ the school for you to tutor me, and the school is exempting you from History of Magic, Mudblood. This whole thing is not a favor. So stop being so cocky. You're not all that." He jerked his head towards the bookshelf. "Who knows, if you do a good job, my father might even have an ounce of pity and pay your dirt-friend Weasley some extra Sickles. Everyone knows how much he'll need it."

That clicked a switch. "You think you're so great just because your dad pays everything and everyone for you, huh? You think you're so superior that you can just saunter around school with that big head of yours?" Hermione pointed angrily at him again. "Well, you're _not_! In fact, you're just a spoiled and stuck-up brat who does everything his father tells him, all of which are up to no good! Don't you _dare_ insult other people's families, Malfoy. _Yours_ isn't all that great." And with that, she stomped past him and stalked out of the room.

_You have no idea, _he thought, staring after her in silence.

***

I believe this is where it all began. My seventh year at Hogwarts was never the same after that. Sure, there were still jokes and pranks, mischief and detentions, break-ins and sneak-outs, snack-stealing and the occasional Filch-dodging, but there were events in my seventh year that I'm sure no one, in the history of Hogwarts, had ever experienced before. Events that would make your hair curl, your heart thump, your stomach churn, and your mind whirl. Events that I sometimes wish never happened, but am thankful as well for it sparked something new in me, and in all of us. Events that I feel will be engraved in my mind and soul for as long as I live. All because of a simple tutoring. I will never forget that day that changed my life, and the lives of those around me, forever.

______________________________________________________________________________________

Halu peeps!!! I can't believe it, my first Harry Potter fic!!!! It was kinda hard to suddenly shift from anime fics to an HP fic, but I hope I wrote it right and I hope you guys like it so far :D Sorry about the confusing isolated paragraph up there in the last part. It's a narration of some sort, kind of like a voice over in a movie :D I'm not planning to reveal who that mystery narrator is anytime soon so that you guys can have something to ponder about, but don't worry, there are a lot of context clues and all; so as the story goes on and the narrator continues to narrate, I guess you guys can pretty much figure out who the narrator is :D I'll reveal the narrator's identity sometime in the middle of the fic I guess, but if it does get too confusing, please let me know so that I can make a quick fix :D So pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeease review!!! I want to know if it's a good start and if I should continue it or something :D This fic of mine is completely, totally, and utterly different from the old styles of my previous anime fics, and it's kind of like a test-run :D So I really need your feedback guys!!!! Thanks so much!!! :D JK Rowling rocks!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

PS: sorry if ever there are wrong grammars and stuff :D hehehe!


	3. Crossing Enemy Lines

**PART TWO**

_Crossing Enemy Lines_

"Will somebody _please_ tell me why the two of you are acting like you've just come from Azkaban after ten years of imprisonment?" Ron complained at lunch later that day. "You haven't said anything all morning since McGonagall held you back," he pointed at Hermione, "and Harry has been flushing like he has just swallowed a box of Filibuster's Fireworks! What in the name of Merlin is wrong with you two?"

Beside him, his little sister Ginny Weasley, now fully grown up, giggled. "I think I know why Harry is acting all weird."

Harry's head snapped up and he looked at Ginny nervously. "Y-you do…?"

"You do?" Ron repeated, turning to his sister.

Ginny bobbed her head in sheer excitement. "I saw what happened. Cho just answered Harry's request of becoming his official girlfriend!"

Ron's jaw dropped to the ground. He gave Harry a disbelieving look. "She _did_???"

Harry's face grew even redder and he suddenly became _very_ interested in the Hogwarts crest on the plate he was eating on. 

All of a sudden Ron was pumping his fist into the air. "Wicked!!! You finally did it!!! Yeah!!!"

Ginny tapped Hermione on the shoulder. "_Someone_ doesn't seem to be getting all psyched about Harry's jackpot. Why the stone reaction?"

"Huh?" Hermione blinked. "W-wha…?"

Ginny grinned. "Cho Chang is now Harry's girlfriend. Welcome to the wizarding world."

"Oh," Hermione looked down again. "Oh. That's nice. Congratulations, Harry."

Harry wrung his arm out of Ron's grasp and looked at her. "Much as I hate Ron's hyper encouragement, I would've at least liked a little enthusiasm, Hermione. Are you sure you're okay?"

Hermione sighed. "I'm sorry, Harry. I know you've been courting her for years. I was just—er—thinking."

"Thinking?" Ron settled back down into his seat. "Haven't you done enough of that already? Ow—Ginny!" He whined.

Harry shook his head. "By the way, what did McGonagall tell you a while back?" 

"Nothing," Hermione replied uneasily, a sinking feeling in her stomach because of the heavy load she'd just been given. Tutoring Malfoy for the whole year! It would surely be a nice way to spend her last year at Hogwarts. "She just told me to…keep up the good work."

"She held you back just to tell you that?" Harry took a sip of his drink. "Why am I having trouble believing this?"

Hermione sighed. "It was nothing, really. I just…" she trailed off and glanced at the Slytherin table, where she could see Malfoy laughing at something Crabbe was doing. And again she felt the irritation flood into her. Funny, she didn't feel like eating anymore. She sighed again and stood up. "I have to go. See you in Herbology." And she sped off.

"What was _that_ all about?" Ron asked Harry. But they didn't have long to ponder on it, because right at that moment a huge barn owl swooped into the Great Hall towards the Slytherin table, making all heads turn to the recipient. The owl hovered around Draco Malfoy's head for a while, before dropping its letter onto his lap and flying away.

All eyes were on Malfoy as he impatiently opened the dark green envelope, and after scanning the contents, he sighed irritably and stood up, leaving the Hall as well. 

Ron watched as he left in a sort of rage, and then turned back to Harry. "What was _that_ all about Part Two?"

***

Malfoy glanced apprehensively through the window into the gamekeeper's hut again for the umpth time, and turned back to the person in front of him, who shook his head gracefully.

"Oh dear, not worried that someone might _overhear_ this little confrontation of ours, are we? I've told you that Hagrid isn't coming back anytime soon, so we can freely talk here outside his hut. Very seldom do the students come and visit this…_shack_ of his, so you need not worry."

"Don't you think I'd _know_ that, father?" Malfoy replied irritably. "I was just…checking."

"Well, you've checked enough." Lucius Malfoy cleared his throat. "Now, I suppose you're wondering why I sent word for you to meet me here?"

Malfoy sighed. "What do you want? You've made my life miserable enough already."

"Miserable is such a _strong_ word, Draco. I prefer to call it, 'less carefree'."

"Father, I don't need a bloody tutor!" Malfoy said impatiently. "I'm a man now! I can handle this by myself without you treating me like a baby—"

"As far as I'm concerned, you _are_ a baby not to know the severity of your failure!" Lucius spat angrily. "An intolerable and ungrateful brat that you are, you ought to be thankful that I've gone out of my way to assist you in your studies! You can barely handle your tasks, much less keep up your grades, and still you call yourself a _man?_"

Malfoy bit his lip and clenched his trembling fist furiously, looking down at the ground.

"Listen to me, Draco." Lucius lowered his tone. "All my life, I've raised you and trained you and made you become the best you can be. Without me, you wouldn't be half the man you are now, so you ought to—"

"It was _mother_ who made me who I am, father; not you." Malfoy glared at his father out of the corner of his eye, and this made Lucius slap him hard across the cheek.

"How _dare_ you speak and look at me that way!" Lucius eyed him menacingly. "You _will_ be grateful to me, boy, or you'll wish you'd never been born."

_I always wish I'd never been born_, Malfoy retorted inwardly, still glaring at his father wordlessly.

Lucius slapped him again. "A tutor is a tutor, and you _are_ going to do everything in your power to attend as many sessions as you can. Your grades do matter, and the Dark Lord wants his followers at their best. Do you understand?"

Malfoy looked at him for a while, then nodded curtly in silent submission. 

"Wise choice," Lucius straightened up. "Seeing as the school chose that Mudblood Granger to be your tutor, then that will make your next and final task so much easier to accomplish. You've been delaying this, Draco. The Dark Lord waits for no one," he added. "Now go do what you've been told. He has great plans for you."

Malfoy glared at his father again for the last time, and turned around without saying another word, making his way back to the castle.

***

Harry stretched his arms above his head. "Whew! That was the most boring Charms class I've ever had in my _life_."

Ron yawned. "You bet. Who would've thought we'd need a Page Turner Charm in our lives?"

"Every charm is useful, Ron. Whether it be for turning pages or not," Hermione said disapprovingly. "So I don't think it was very nice of you two to sleep through the whole period. Not to mention this is the last period for the day."

"Oh, come off it, Hermione," Harry sighed, as the three of them made their way through the door. "Do you honestly believe wizards and witches are lazy enough not to turn pages manually? They should just—oof!"

Harry got cut short and his books came crashing down the floor. He looked up to see whom it was that bumped into him so conveniently.

Just his luck.

"_Ooops,_ I'm so _sorry_, Potter. You'd better not sleep through classes so you can actually watch where you're going," Malfoy sneered as Crabbe and Goyle snickered behind him. "Or is your scar just too _blindingly_ painful for you to think straight?"

Harry frowned and was just about to say something, but Hermione beat him to it. "Can't you tell? I'm sure _that_—" she pointed to the bandage on Malfoy's hand, "—hurts just as much. Oh wait, your father probably already used his sack of Galleons to buy a potion to remove the pain, since you can do _anything_ with his money."

Harry and Ron both looked at her with their mouths open. Surely Hermione wasn't like this? They both looked back at Malfoy, expecting him to have an even wittier comeback, but miraculously, he _smiled._

"Oooh, _very clever_! Which reminds me, Oh Queen of All There is to Know in This Universe," he grinned, his voice dripping with sweet sarcasm, "may I please speak to you for a while, Ms. Hermione Granger?"

At this, Crabbe and Goyle instantly backed off and went their way. Harry retrieved his books and stood closer to Hermione in silent protection, and Ron stepped on her other side as well. Malfoy was _not_ friendly enough to call her by her name and suddenly want to talk to her without apparent reason. A reason, most probably, that was up to no good.

But Hermione simply waved her hand at her two friends. "It's okay, guys. I'll catch up with you two later." She glared at Malfoy, as if accepting a challenge. 

Harry and Ron stared at her uncertainly for a while, before Ron said, "See you in the common room." And they both left.

Malfoy smirked. "Now that we've gotten rid of your little puppy dog bodyguards…"

"What do you want, Malfoy?" Hermione snapped.

"A session," he said simply. "Tonight. Before lights out. Since you took the gracious honor of leaving oh-so-abruptly a while ago, we didn't get anything done. So I figured we could start tonight."

"Tonight?" Hermione stared at him like his whole body was just de-boned. Was Malfoy asking her a favor? Like a 'civil human being'? "Okay, what in the world is the catch?"

"Catch? What makes you think there's a catch?" Malfoy smiled again so innocently that Hermione wanted to punch it right out of his face.

She studied his expression for a while, as if trying to detect a trick, but as of now, no matter how suspicious it all seemed, she couldn't find any. Perhaps Malfoy was truly serious about passing History of Magic.

She sighed. "Fine. We'll meet in the study after dinner."

"Why thank you, Ms. Hermione Granger," he spoke again in that singsong tone, and left, leaving a bewildered Hermione staring after him.

***

_Odd_, Hermione mused, the incident outside the Charms classroom a while back still lingering in her thoughts. _Malfoy didn't even come by our table at dinner for his regular taunting…_

She turned at a corner and sighed. It was totally bizarre for him to be acting this way all so suddenly. It wasn't like they'd become the best of friends overnight.

And it hadn't even been overnight yet!

_Maybe Malfoy really is concerned about his grades,_ she thought. "Nickel Knacks." And Wendelin the Weird moved aside.

The moment she stepped inside, her thoughts were confirmed. Malfoy was already sitting on one of the chairs, staring at a book lying open on the desk. She smiled. She kinda liked this change.

"Hey," she greeted, as she made her way towards him. But he didn't return the greeting. Hermione cocked her eyebrow. _Or is there really a change?_

She sat down across from him and studied his expression. He looked really, really bored. And he was acting like she wasn't even there. She waved her hand in front of his face. "Hello?"

All of a sudden Malfoy sighed impatiently and finally looked at her. And she noticed that his obnoxious expression was back again. "Look, Granger, just because I asked you a 'favor' a while ago and decided to spare the Golden Trio some humiliation at dinner, doesn't mean that everything is sunshine and flowers between us." He held up a finger to stop her from rebutting. "I'm only going through with this stupid tutoring thing because I was forced. Get it through your overblown head."

_Guess there wasn't a change after all,_ she frowned. "Fine," was all she said. And there was silence again as Malfoy continued reading his book. She carefully watched the way his eyebrows knit together whenever there was something he didn't seem to understand. And after a few more minutes of silence, she finally sighed and slammed her hands down on the desk, making him look up at her.

"What the hell is your problem?" he asked irritably.

"I'd much love to see you fail, Malfoy, but since I'm already stuck here with you, why don't you let me explain what you don't understand? Instead of just sitting there, frowning like there's no tomorrow," she said.

"There _will _be no tomorrow if I _do_ ask your help," he replied, turning back to his book. "This whole thing is just so McGonagall won't freak out when she checks up on us here. So back off and do your own thing."

"Professor McGonagall only does her check-up when we're here during History of Magic. She doesn't check up after dinner." Hermione shifted in her seat and tugged at Malfoy's book. "So let me help you, okay?"

He gripped the book more tightly and glared at her. "I _don't_ need your help, Granger. How many times do I have to tell you? I could've sworn your head still has enough space to process that thought?" And he took the book, stood up, and plopped down on one of the couches.

Hermione threw her hands up and didn't say another word, as she slowly made her way towards the entrance, and left.

Again.


	4. To See Through a New Light

**PART THREE**

_To See Through a New Light_

In the wee hours of the night, when the last bits of consciousness began to fade away, I saw it. The beginning of the premonitions. I felt pain whenever something flashed before my eyes, but I saw them nonetheless. They were clear and distinct, yet weird and difficult to understand and decipher. There were people everywhere, people wearing black cloaks. House crests were speeding before me here and there, and suddenly the Gryffindor crest stopped right in front of me. I stared at it, and it instantly disappeared, along with everything else. And then a green light shone out of nowhere, accompanied by screams…multiple…distorted screams…and then a voice towered over it all, saying, "After the sixth downfall of the serpent…" and then it all faded away. Every night would be the same. And I would be staring back again at the ceiling, unable to move, unable to scream, unable to feel, unable to think. The vision would haunt me all throughout the night.

***

Malfoy woke up the next day panting wildly again, as he looked around and realized he'd fallen asleep inside the study. He put away the book he was still holding and held up his right hand. Fresh blood was oozing out of the bandage again, and he carefully removed it to inspect the cut. The pain had worsened overnight and the cut seemed to have grown a teeny bit bigger. Why was he always having nightmares about being punished because of defiance? And why was the cut on his hand growing bigger and more painful with each passing night?

He dismissed the thought and threw the soaking bandage away. He had to get to his room to replace it and get ready for breakfast. He stood up and headed for the entrance, thinking it was a good thing that Granger left when she did.

"Are you okay, Draco? You look like needles were pricking you the whole night," Pansy Parkinson commented worriedly at the breakfast table a little while later. 

_It's more than needles,_ he thought, as he took a sip of his drink. "I'm fine. Potter's brownnosing just haunted me all throughout my sleep."

The Slytherins who were listening in giggled, and Pansy leaned close to him and smiled. "I just want you to know that I'm here when you need anything, okay Draco?"

"Sure, baby," he replied monotonously, as Pansy beamed and went back to her seat and the Slytherins 'ooooohed' and 'aaaaahed'. This was, at least, a routine every morning since their fourth year. And even though Malfoy was slightly getting tired of always getting Pansy's hopes up for nothing, it was nice to know that he was still the center of attention at his House and was still the lifelong catch of all the other Slytherin girls. Although he never laid eyes on any of them, he found it quite amusing.

He stood up and gathered his things as Crabbe and Goyle followed him out of the Great Hall, and passing by the Gryffindor table, the two prepared to back up his daily Gryffindor bashing. But he wasn't quite in the mood right now, and Granger's glaring was adding up to it. The Gryffindors then quieted down as he approached, expecting him to swoop down on Potter and his friends, but he simply passed by, leaving them all staring curiously at him.

_To hell with all of you_, he shook his head as instant whispering came up right away after he had left. Goyle was just about to tell him something when he held up his hand. "Don't ask." And the three of them made their way down the dungeons to Potions.

"Aagh," he grimaced as he accidentally dropped his rat-tails into the cauldron a few minutes later, holding up his right hand again. It was throbbing unusually, and it was definitely ruining his concentration all throughout the period. He was thankful he didn't have Potions with the Gryffindors this year, or else Potter and his weasel sidekick would've been rolling on the floor, laughing at him already.

Another wave of pain shot through his hand and he dropped his stirring rod as well with a clunk. "Damn it," he cursed, and the Hufflepuffs all turned to look at him. The Slytherins, however, all looked worried. Yes, he usually wasn't a klutz like this.

Snape glided past the other tables and approached him. "Having trouble, Mr. Malfoy?" He cocked his eyebrow. Malfoy looked up at him and read his expression. Somehow, he knew that Snape was asking about the tutorials as well.   

"No sir," he replied.

"Then stop making a pathetic attempt to imitate the old Longbottom," Snape said, and then walked past him. The Hufflepuffs all turned back to their cauldrons, snickering. Malfoy cursed to himself again. Even _Snape_ was giving him a hard time now? 

This day was _not_ off to a good start at all.

Malfoy sighed after class as he made his way out the door, motioning for Crabbe and Goyle to go on ahead. Just great. Another History session was coming up to brighten his day.

He stopped just outside the entrance to the secret study, feeling the worst he ever could. Good ol' Granger was probably already inside, waiting to drill on him again. He rolled his eyes and made up his mind. The session wasn't worth his time right now.

He turned and headed back down the corridors. The empty common room would be perfect to give him a little peace of mind.

But just as he went down the staircases, another wave of pain shot through him, this time even worse. He flinched and paused outside an empty classroom, clutching his right hand. And he noticed that blood was oozing out once again.

Trying to bear the pain, he stumbled into the classroom and closed the door, leaning against the wall. He closed his eyes but was forced to open them right away, because something deathly cold just brushed past his face.

"Peeves!" he shouted angrily. And Peeves the Poltergeist popped out of nowhere, tumbling merrily in front of him.

"Ooooh, playing hooky, Mr. Drakie? Naughty, naughty Slytherin!" Peeves pounced on him and flicked his ear. "Should tell Professor Snape, I should!"

Malfoy took out his wand abruptly and Peeves instantly moved away. "Aaaah, Mr. Drakie is rumored for his Dark magic, yes he is! Should tell Professor Dumbledore that you decided to use it on me, I should!"

"Get the hell out of here, Peeves, before I _really_ use my magic on you!" He glared, and Peeves flew through the door, laughing.

He slid down the floor and tried to breathe for a while to forget the growing pain. He knew Peeves would send for a teacher right away and he'd best get out of there as soon as possible.

Slowly he stood up and was just about to open the door, but it burst open on its own, making him stumble back.

Hermione was in the doorway.

"Malfoy! What are you doing here?" she asked, panting.

He quickly hid the bleeding wound behind him and frowned. "That's none of your damn business! What are _you_ doing here? You ought to be at the study being the good little teacher's pet that you are."

She ignored the comment. "_That's_ where you should be, too! I'd been waiting and waiting and when you didn't show up, I decided to actually _look_ for you! I never thought I'd say this, but it was a good thing I ran into Peeves; he told me you were here, crying—"

"I was _not_ crying, for goodness' sake!" he gritted his teeth. "Now why don't you scurry along out of here and leave me alone?"

"I'm _not _leaving you alone until you come back to the study with me!" Hermione said forcefully. "Heaven only knows what Professor McGonagall might do to us if she found us here—"

"Oh, you'll know soon enough," said a voice behind them. And true enough, Professor McGonagall was looking down menacingly at them, with Peeves dancing happily in the background.

***

"Congratulations, Granger."

"What?"

"You've just successfully gotten us into this stupid hell of a detention."

Hermione's anger flared at Malfoy's words later that night, as she shoved her shovel into the muddy ground and placed her soiled hands on her hips. "Oh, _I_ got us into detention? Who was running amok when he was supposed to be in the study?"

"Who was nosing around when she should've stayed and waited?" Malfoy retorted without looking at her, digging deeper and removing the topsoil. "If you had just stayed put, I would've returned just in time."

She snorted. "Oh right, like_ that's_ possible."

"It _should've been_," he said. "That way McGonagall would've seen you in the study when she checked up and she wouldn't have freaked out and met Peeves down the hall. You could simply say I went to the bathroom or something if she asked you where I was. I swear Granger, for the so-called Head Girl that you are, you can be _really_ dense."

"Oh shut _up_, Malfoy."

And there was silence again as the two of them dug and shoveled and got covered in mud, trying to harvest Hagrid's crops and replant the new ones. Which was, considering Hagrid's choice of plants, not that easy. The crops would scratch and cry out and some would even go out of their way and bite if they were pulled too early or uprooted in the wrong manner. The new ones, moreover, would kick and scream and refuse to be planted to the ground. Which was why they were to do this task every night until every crop was harvested and every new one was replanted. 

Apparently, this disturbing thought came across Malfoy's mind again. "Damn it," he cursed, as one of the crops bit him and he immediately let it go. "You've really done it this time, Mudblood."

Hermione dropped the one she was holding and exhaled loudly in exasperation. "What is your _problem_, Malfoy? Can't you call me by my name, for crying out loud? And will you quit whining already? We're already in detention and your constant complaints aren't going to change that!"

"Well, at least I'll be able to get on your nerves."

"How childish can you get?"

"How bigheaded can _you_ get?"

"Will you stop being such a complete jerk and just do your work?"

"I would if you'd stop being such a disgusting pain of a Mudblood."

"Shut _up_ with the 'Mudblood' already!"

"I won't because you _are_ and you'll never stop being one."

"Ugh, you're impossible, Malfoy!!!"

"And _you're_ intolerable."

"Whoa! Hold yer horses!" Hagrid emerged from his hut and made his way towards the two of them, who were glaring at each other like it was World War II. "Get back ter work, all righ'?"

Malfoy rolled his eyes and returned to his shovel, while Hermione stomped her foot (splashing mud all over her but pretending not to notice) and stalked off to the other end of the field.

And this was how things went every single night they were out at Hagrid's fields, doing detention. 

They would meet up outside Hagrid's hut with their shovels every night to gather the other things they'd need, then walk to the field without speaking to each other. They would start working in one place for a while in silence, but this usually lasted for about ten minutes. Then the fireworks would start and they'd end up working at opposite ends of the field.

It was pretty much the same during the day. Malfoy would start his daily pick-on-Harry-and-Ron routine and when it came to Hermione, he'd act all cold and everyone within a five-mile radius would feel the heat of hatred flowing between the two. During second period History sessions, they would stay in the study on separate couches, doing their own businesses, and would gather at the desk only when they'd hear Professor McGonagall utter the password outside for the check-up. They'd leave separately when the session was over, and had no intentions of meeting up voluntarily during breaks or before lights out. Surprisingly, Lucius Malfoy hadn't found this worth reprimanding his son for. Perhaps he thought one session a day was already enough.

Conflict between the two would especially rise up whenever the Gryffindors and the Slytherins had classes together, often resulting in an insult-war between the two Houses, especially among Harry, Ron, Neville and Hermione; and Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy. Once, they had even gone as far as to disarm each other during Charms class. Luckily, Professor Flitwick was too busy adding more books to the pile he was standing on at that time to notice.

To conclude, Hermione and Malfoy's way of treating each other really hadn't improved, but rather, had worsened. 

And it stayed that way, until the last night of their detention.

Malfoy spat angrily on the ground and wiped his soaking blond hair away from his face with his forearm, as the heavy downpour continued to drench his clothes. He let go of his shovel and tugged at his robes, rolling up the sleeves to prevent them from sticking to his arms because of the water. He then bent down and grabbed one of the crops by its neck, flinching as it flailed its tiny arms, obviously refusing to be stuck to the ground.

And just as he was about to successfully plant it, a roll of thunder boomed across the sky and it went wild again, kicking the muddy soil all over his already drenched robes. To top it off, Hermione's shovel came out of nowhere and hit the crop, making it scream and bite Malfoy's right hand as hard as it could.

"Ugh, crap!" He threw the crop in frustration and clutched his right hand in pain. He glared up at Hermione. "Why the _hell_ can't you keep that thing to yourself, Mudblood? Don't you know how to operate a _shovel_? God, you are so worthless!"

Hermione's eyes flickered in anger for a while, before she replied sarcastically, "Ooops, _my bad_." And she bent down to plant one of the crops as well. She heard Malfoy swear beside her and grab another crop to start planting all over again. She grinned in spite of herself.

They went on in silence for the next couple of minutes, hearing only the sound of the thick raindrops falling heavier and heavier onto them, the crackling sound of thunder, and the squishy splash of mud whenever they moved. There were only a few more crops left to plant, and Hermione knew that this was going to be the final night of their detention. Thank heavens for that.

She pushed her hands into the soil, trying to cover the heads of the crops completely. But just as she cupped some more soil into her hands, she noticed a tinge of redness covering a part of the soil around the crop she just planted. She frowned and glanced at the soil around her, beside her, and her eyes widened in horror as she spotted where the reddish hue was coming from.

"Malfoy!" she suddenly cried out.

"What now?" He shouted back in annoyance, turning to look at her. Then he saw her moving towards him, her face all scrunched up. What was _up_ with her? He stood up as she approached and was just about to say something when she reached out and grabbed his right hand.

"Oh god, Malfoy; I'm so sorry," she said, still holding his hand and staring at it.

He frowned and withdrew his hand hastily. "What's your freakin' problem?"

"Your hand. It's bleeding. I reckon the crop bit your wound."

"What are you—" he trailed off as he looked at his own hand. Blood was soaking the bandage on it and dripping down the ground with the rain. The bite must've opened the cut again.

Oddly though, he couldn't feel any pain.

He stared at his wound for a while, until he noticed Hermione reaching for his hand again. "C'mon, I'm sure Hagrid has some bandages up in his hut—"

He took a step back and glared at her. "I can take care of this myself, thank you very much. The last thing I need is sympathy from a foul Mudblood."

The comment hurt her, but still she felt responsible for hitting the crop on purpose and causing it to bite his injury. She moved closer. "Set your pride aside for once in your life and let me see it!"

He stepped back again. "Get off my case!"

"_Let me see it_! Maybe there's something I can do—"

"It's just a damn cut, for heaven's sake—"

"It's _bleeding heavily!"_

"It's not!"

"It is!"

"What the hell do _you_ care!"

"Just let me see the stupid wound! Don't be so—"

Hermione got cut off as she tripped over Malfoy's shovel on the ground, losing her balance and splashing more mud all over her. She fell forward and Malfoy, by instinct, caught her arms just in time.

"_Damn_ it, Granger! What the _hell_ do you think you're _doing_?" he shouted at her in irritation. "It's one thing to fuss over something that's none of your bloody business, but it's another thing to perform your stupid circus act in the middle of this damn thunderstorm out here in detention! Your dirty blood is _finally_ getting to your brain for once—"

He broke off as she angrily pushed him away from her and clenched her fists. "What is _wrong_ with you, Malfoy? Is that all you know? _Insult_ other people? Here I was, actually feeling _guilty_ for harming you and I was actually _trying_ to help you with your injury! And all you can think about is your _stupid_ pride and your _stupid_ pure blood and your _ruddy_ insults!!! How can you be so _thick _and _insensitive???_ And to think that I was actually _worried_ about you for one _damn_ minute!!!"

Malfoy was speechless at her sudden outburst, as he stared at her fuming figure, her hands balled and her whole body covered in mud. He could've sworn, when he peered at her muddy face, that she was actually _crying_. Silent tears were trickling down her face, and from her rapid, shallow breathing, he could tell she was really hurt.

But seeing her soiled hands, her browned arms, her soaking robes, her slimy face, and the pieces of mud stuck to her hair, made something inside him stir. And all of a sudden he snorted, and the next thing he knew was that he was laughing.

Hermione stared at him in silence for a while, and then _she_ was laughing, too.

Malfoy clutched his stomach and his shoulders shook as he struggled to speak. "…god, Granger, now you really _are_ a 'mud' blood!"

And somehow, that didn't affect her at all. She laughed even more and bent down to roll a clump of mud into her hand. "Oh yeah? Let's see who the _real_ 'mud' blood is!" And she threw the ball of mud at him.

It hit him right in the face and the two of them laughed even more. "Hey!" he whined, grabbing some mud as well and throwing it back at her.

Soon, the two of them were in a muddy fight, throwing and dodging and crying out "take that" and "missed me" amidst their laughter.

It wasn't until Hagrid heard all the commotion above the storm that he ran down from his hut towards them. "Hold it, hold it! Stop the war!"

Hermione threw one last mud ball at Malfoy before they both stopped, dripping with brown goo, and stared at Hagrid in silence.

Hagrid sighed and smiled at them, looking somewhat amused. And Hermione realized that it wasn't every day that anyone would see her socializing and goofing off with _the_ Draco Malfoy.

"All righ', that's enough now; I think yeh've had enough fun an' messin' around fer tonight," Hagrid said, and she found herself unusually blushing. "Detention's over; run along up the castle."

Without another word, Malfoy took his shovel, shook some of the mud out of his hair, swung the shovel over his shoulder, and turned around to walk away. Hermione still couldn't figure out what came over her, but she cleared her throat and called out to him, "Malfoy?"

He stopped walking and paused for a while, before he turned his head to the side. "Yeah?"

She hesitated, and then finally blurted out for no reason at all, "See you at the session tomorrow?"

He didn't say anything, but after a few seconds the corners of his mouth tugged a bit. "Sure, Granger." And he continued to walk away. Hermione's eyes followed him, as she watched his soaking figure disappear out into the darkness, his robes dripping, a few streaks of dried blood on his right hand, his disheveled blond hair not held back for once, and his arms exposed because he'd rolled up his sleeves. She noticed that there were a few muscles on them, probably from Quidditch practice, and found herself grinning like crazy.

"Like what yeh see?" asked Hagrid.

"Yeah…" she replied automatically, but then realized what she'd just said. "I-I mean, what are you talking about, Hagrid?"

Hagrid grinned knowingly, but pointed to the crops that they had planted. "The plants. Like 'em?"

Hermione swallowed heavily and nodded. "Er—yes Hagrid; they're nice, I guess."

"You did a good job." Hagrid motioned for her to go up the castle as well. "G'night, Hermione."

"Good night, Hagrid." And she took her shovel, too and started up the castle, hearing him distinctively say to himself, "teenagers".

She reddened once more, glad that nobody could see her face in the dark. She had a very, _very_ strong feeling that things between her and Malfoy were never going to be the same again.

And she was right.

***

That night, Hermione couldn't sleep. All she could think about was how much she'd enjoyed Malfoy's company for once and whenever she'd try to close her eyes, all she could see was his face when he was laughing and the way he moved when they were throwing mud balls at each other. She would clump her pillow over her head but all she could hear was his laughter, ringing in her ears.

And then there was the fact that when she'd tripped on his shovel trying to get a clear view of his cut, he'd instantly caught her and helped her keep her balance. That was definitely something Draco Malfoy did _not_ do. And somehow, knowing that he did do that tonight just for her got her all tingly.

Disgustingly tingly.

She sat up and rubbed her face with her hands, glancing out the window. The sun was beginning to rise now; the sky was slowly welcoming the trace of orange into its darkness. The rain had stopped at around midnight a while ago, and now it was already dawn, yet still she couldn't sleep. His image would always pop into her mind and her heart would skip for a reason she simply couldn't understand.

And couldn't accept.

She knew these simple symptoms. Sleepless nights, jittery gut feelings, butterflies and heart-skipping, and all those I-can't-stop-thinking-about-so-so things. They were signs of attraction to someone; there was no point denying it. Everybody knew that.

But what she couldn't understand was that, why so sudden? Why now? And why, of all people, Malfoy? That, she couldn't accept.

Malfoy was their enemy, Harry's rival, Ron's prosecutor. He was one of the main reasons why Hogwarts wasn't all that great. Just the sight of him and the sound of his drawling voice used to make her blood boil, and he'd teased her, insulted her, offended her, and hurt her millions of times, and long ago she'd sworn she'd never forgive him and that someday, somehow, she'd get back at him. He'd played nasty tricks on almost all the Gryffindors, especially on her and her two best friends, and on Neville. He'd gotten them into lots of trouble and loads of detentions, and their hatred for him couldn't be topped by anything else in the world. 

He'd cheated and deceived and bought his way into a lot of things, and he'd tricked them all with his no good pranks with the former Daily Prophet reporter, Rita Skeeter, or even at Quidditch. And it was known to everyone, although not yet proven openly, that he was very deeply involved in the Dark Arts, considering his father was once a Death Eater before You-Know-Who fell. And now that the Dark Lord had risen again, who knew if he was already a Death Eater as well, just like his father?

All this she knew perfectly well in her heart. For her past six years here at Hogwarts, Malfoy had always been against them, and vice versa. But now, after all that had happened, after all the times he'd hurt her worse than if a knife had stabbed her right through the heart, how could a simple act of laughing together and getting into a mud fight change everything she'd ever felt about him? How could all her hatred disappear just like that? And, with a snap of a finger, how could she actually be _attracted_ to him? Draco Malfoy, the nastiest Slytherin alive? What would her friends say?

It was madness. They were merely in detention. They were supposed to hate each other's guts. They were complete opposites and just breathing the same air with him was supposed to make her puke.

But somehow, even after he'd hurt her with his words again, she found his laughter amusing. And she found him attractive.

_Oh god_…she thought, rubbing her temples, as flashes of his face, his hair, his voice, his laughter, his body…came flooding through her mind. She shook her head exasperatedly and looked out the window again. It was already morning.

She sighed and got out of bed, finally giving up all hopes of trying to sleep.

Hey it's me again! I've finally uploaded the next two chapters:D Maybe I'll upload two chapters at a time or something:D So…what did you guys think? Is the narration getting confusing yet…? I'm really sorry, please bear with me, I promise it'll be clearer as the story goes on:D And again, please review!!! I really need your opinions:D Thanks so much!!


	5. All It Takes is a Spark to Start

**PART FOUR**

_All It Takes is a Spark to Start_

_It wasn't every night that I saw the premonitions. They went random on me, and each one was similar, yet somehow different than the last. I still couldn't understand them, but all I knew was that they were trying to tell me something, something I felt I should know right away before it was too late. The second premonition came when I was just about to climb into bed. I grabbed my blanket and then I felt the flashing, blinding pain again. Then I saw the very same things I had seen in the first one, yet now the crest that stopped in front of me was the Slytherin crest. A bob of blond hair flashed before me, and then a pair of narrow, red eyes…green light…then the distorted screams…and blood splattering everywhere…and the words, "After…sixth…serpent…" were heard before it faded away. Everything began to spin, and when it all stopped, I saw myself standing before a lush forest, and these words were flashing brightly in mid-air: A New Power Shall Rise Again._

***

"Harry, are you okay?"

Harry shook his head and looked at the girl sitting beside him on the grass. She placed her hand over his and looked worriedly at him. "You've been staring at that rock since we got here."

He smiled. "Sorry, Cho; I just…didn't have a good night's sleep last night, that's all. Nightmares. Weird ones."

Cho didn't answer for a while, and then she smiled knowingly. "You're worried about Hermione, aren't you?"

At this, Harry immediately raised his eyebrows at her in surprise. "How did you—"

She shrugged. "I know you're wondering why she suddenly got detention with Draco Malfoy a couple of days back. Because she won't tell you and Ron the reason."

"Well…"

Cho smiled again. "Harry, it's okay. If Hermione doesn't want to tell you guys, then there's nothing to be worried about. You've been best friends since your first grade. She would never keep anything from you and you know that. She'll tell you guys soon enough, when she's ready. Besides, I'm sure that whatever she's hiding is for the best. She's never done anything to let you guys down before, right?"

Harry sighed and nodded. "Yeah, I guess you're right. It's just that she hasn't been acting like herself since she got detention, and at History of Magic she acts all sleepy around us. Like she's dazed or something."

"Who doesn't?" Cho took Harry's hand and pulled him up from their sitting position on the grass. "Look, her detention ended last night, right? So she's probably back to normal by now. And don't mind the glazed look at History of Magic; I'm sure she's just as sleepy as everyone else in Binns' class is. Take Malfoy for example. I don't take History of Magic with Gryffindor and Slytherin, but I, for one, know that Malfoy doesn't even move a lip muscle to insult any of you during History class, because he's just as dazed as everyone else. And don't ask me how I knew that. Now," she grinned. "Let's head back to the school and get you some breakfast, okay?"

Harry smiled at her. He knew that Cho was a year older than him, but blimey, he really was lucky that Cho was chosen as an exchange student for Beauxbatons in the beginning of her sixth year at Hogwarts, and so she had skipped that year and when she came back to Hogwarts, Harry was already in the same year level as she was. And now, she was Harry's girlfriend, and Harry couldn't be happier. He nodded. "Okay."

***

Later that morning Hermione dragged herself out of first period Transfiguration, telling Harry and Ron to go on ahead and that she'd catch up with them at History of Magic. And she nodded lazily when they asked her if she was feeling okay for the millionth time.

She walked down the corridors, feeling like it was already the end of the day and she'd just taken enough exams to last her a lifetime. She was so tired, and she didn't like the idea of having another session with the so-called boy-who-didn't-make-her-sleep-the-whole-night. She didn't even understand her feelings for him yet, and she definitely regretted assuring him the night before to meet up. 

But even if she hadn't asked him to meet her in the study at detention last night, she still had the duty to attend the session. The last thing she needed right now was get another detention with him for skipping the tutoring.

She muttered the password and stepped inside, surprised to see him already there. For the past few days, it had always been she who was the first to arrive.

At the sight of him lying down lazily on the couch, one leg hanging loose and his hands behind his head, staring into space, she immediately felt the annoying butterflies in her stomach again, and then the jitters started as she made her way towards him. Now she felt more awkward than ever.

She plopped down on the other couch and sighed, dropping her books aimlessly on the carpeted floor. She'd never felt worse in her entire life. Malfoy must've noticed her sudden lack of enthusiasm and organization, because his head turned to look at her. 

"You look terrible."

She jerked at the sound of his voice, and she found herself feeling hot. She forced herself to look at him and snap back a comment for his frankness, but the words died on her throat when she made eye contact. She opened her mouth, but no words came out because all her skipping heart could do was send girly mush to her brain, saying, "Omigawd, look at those gorgeous eyes."

So instead she just swallowed and turned away from him, without saying another word. She heard him snort, probably weirded out at her alienated act. Great. Just what she needed. To make a fool of herself.

For a long time, neither of them moved, and she wondered why he wasn't studying on his own like he usually did. Maybe he was sleeping…?

She sneaked a glimpse at him and saw that he was still absently staring at the ceiling. What could he possibly be thinking? Slowly, her eyes made their way to the bandage on his right hand that was poking out behind his head where his hands were. The bandage was fresh again and there was no sign of blood on it. Where _had_ he gotten that cut, anyway? And why didn't it seem to be healing?

All of a sudden her thoughts were disrupted as she heard Professor McGonagall's voice utter the password at the entrance, and she and Malfoy hurriedly stumbled off the couches and towards the table, scattering books on the desk and opening them to random pages.

They sat down just as McGonagall entered, and Hermione immediately pretended to point at something on the book in front of Malfoy, saying, "And that was how the war of the golems ended."

McGonagall smiled at them and took a seat on one of the empty chairs. "I see you've covered the Golem War of the Mountains. Very impressive," she said, and Malfoy tried not to look like he didn't know what the heck she was talking about. "I'm sure this will then be a piece of cake to you, won't it, Mr. Malfoy?" And she handed him a stack of parchment.

He stared at it in shock. "A…a test?"

"Yes. A test. To see how much you've improved since Ms. Granger started tutoring you," McGonagall motioned to Hermione, who smiled nervously. "I'm sure it will be of no problem at all, don't you think? I expect this exam to be submitted to me no later than tomorrow before your first period begins. Are we clear on this, Mr. Malfoy?"

He swallowed. "Yes, Professor."

"Very well." She stood up. "Carry on!" And she made her way towards the entrance. As soon as she was gone, Hermione immediately turned to Malfoy with a worried expression on her face. For the first time since the session started this morning, her brain was working well enough for her to know what to say.

"Okay, if you flunk that quiz, they'll ask Hagrid to feed me to Fluffy, wherever he may be. So tell me honestly; do you have _any_ idea what to answer?" she asked, pointing at the parchments Malfoy was holding.

Malfoy didn't say anything, but by the way he was staring at the test like the Snitch was embedded on it, Hermione already knew the answer.

***

"Queen to C5."

"Knight to E3."

"Pawn to A4."

"Ha! Checkmate! I win again, Harry!"

Hermione rolled her eyes as Harry groaned for the umpth time, and Ron began dancing around the common room, bragging about his 12th victory. Their friends Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, who were also playing Wizards' Chess on a neighboring table, turned to look at Harry.

"Blimey, Harry! What's gotten into you tonight?" Seamus taunted.

Harry sunk into his seat and covered his face with his hands, muttering a muffled, "I have no idea."

Meanwhile, Ron was explaining his tactics to Dean, who was saying "Wicked!" in a mock tone to amuse Ron. Seamus laughed.

"Don't you boys have anything better to do than play chess? Am I the only one who remembered that we've got an essay for Defense Against the Dark Arts due tomorrow?" Hermione held up her parchment and quill.

Harry sat up in his seat and stared at her. "I thought you said you'd already finished yours."

She looked at him. "I…I did?"

"Yeah, you did," Ron piped in. "I remember we both asked you this morning at History of Magic, and you said yes."

"Oh, History of Magic, right." She looked down. She'd almost forgotten about the Dummy. "Well, yes, I finished it, but I read through it and it kind of stank, so…I'm writing it over again," she lied.

"What? Where's the old one? Share, Hermione!" Ron whined.

Hermione pouted. "If you want the essay so badly, I suggest you start finishing yours right now."

Ron groaned. "But mine's eight inches short!"

"You've had a whole week to finish it!"

Harry laughed as Ron stomped up the boys' dormitory to get his essay. Hermione turned to him. "And what are _you_ laughing at, Harry? Are you finished with yours?"

"Er—I will be in a minute." He gave her a goofy grin.

Hermione shook her head and went back to her essay, looking at what she'd written so far. _The Loch Ness Monster,_ she read,_ though enormous in size, is terribly hard to find. It is a rare chance that an ordinary Muggle can catch a glimpse of this fascinating undersea creature, no matter how deep down the sea the Muggle may go. This is due to the Loch Ness Monster's insatiable appetite for—believe it or not—Acid Pops, which can only be bought at the sweets shop Honeydukes in Hogsmeade. The Loch Ness Monster gulps down the Acid Pops, burning a temporary hole in its tongue, to keep it warm as it rests on the cold ocean floor. This fact has long been well known to the wizarding world, but although it seems easier now to lure the Loch Ness Monster, no wizard or witch has had the heart to try and capture one of these rare creatures. Wizard divers merely lure the sea-dweller out and admire it while it savors the Acid Pops, for despite its size and ferocious appearance, the Loch Ness Monster—if left undisturbed—is completely harmless._

Hermione smiled at her own work and positioned her quill to write some more, but just then the portrait of the Fat Lady at the entrance to the common room swung open, and Ginny Weasley climbed through the portrait hole. She walked towards them, looking all clammy.

Harry looked up at her. "What's wrong, Ginny?"

"Er…nothing, Harry; I'm just…not feeling too good." She turned to Hermione and put a hand on her shoulder. "I need to talk to you," she whispered in an urgent sort of way.

"Not now, Ginny, I need to finish this essay. Two more inches to go."

"But Hermione…" she pleaded, and Hermione sighed and allowed herself to be pulled away from the boys and towards a corner of the common room.

"All right, what is it?" Hermione asked exasperatedly.

Ginny looked apprehensively at the portrait hole. "Someone outside wants to see you."

Hermione cocked an eyebrow. "Someone…wants to see me?"

Ginny nodded. "He says that if I tell anyone else but you about this, he'll have me hunted down."

All at once comprehension dawned on Hermione. She knew who it was, and she didn't have to say it.

Ginny continued. "I'm worried about you, Hermione. What does he want from you at this hour of the night all of a sudden? I'm afraid he might do something drastic, just because you got him into detention for some reason—"

"I did _not_ get him into detention. We weren't together. We just…happened to get detention at the same time for doing completely different things at completely different places," Hermione responded hastily.

"Okay, whatever the reason is, I'm still worried. Do you want me to tell Harry and the others to watch for you?" Ginny asked.

Hermione paused. What _could_ he want from her? Unless…

"That won't be necessary. I can take care of this." She looked at Ginny seriously. "Just promise not to tell anyone about all this, okay?"

Ginny nodded. "Okay…but be careful."

She smiled. "I will. Tell Harry and the others I had to go to…McGonagall's office." And she climbed through the portrait hole.

Malfoy was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, one foot up the wall, waiting for her. When she emerged from the portrait, he pushed himself from the wall and walked towards her.

Hermione swallowed, willing herself to act normally around him. "What is it now, Malfoy?" she asked, although she practically already knew the answer.

Malfoy shoved his hands into his pockets. "Listen Granger, I know you already know why I came here, so stop being so stuck-up because I don't want to say it."

Hermione found herself grinning. Malfoy's weakness is asking a favor? A _real_ favor? "Oh, I don't know. Can you elaborate on that a bit?"

"C'mon, Granger; don't make me say it," he said, almost pleading.

But she was definitely enjoying this. A while ago at their session after McGonagall gave him the test, the two of them pretty much hadn't spoken to each other until the session ended. She knew Malfoy didn't know how to pass the test, but he hadn't asked her anything, either. So she figured that he must've had an idea on how to pass. But he couldn't cheat; all Hogwarts' exams were bewitched so that the quill would be repelled if the students were cheating. So she knew that Malfoy definitely couldn't answer the test with his book lying open beside him. And now…

She could feel her insides squirming again as she watched his helpless expression, although he was trying his best to hide it behind his usual frown. "I'm sorry, Malfoy; but I don't understand what you mean."

Malfoy sighed in frustration and threw his hands in the air. "Okay, okay! I need your help for my test! Happy now?"

Hermione grinned mischievously. "_Oh!_ So _that's_ what you're talking about!"

***

_It struck me right after Charms class. I felt the pain and I stopped halfway out the door. This time, nothing was clear at all. Everything I had seen before all whizzed past in a blur, and there was a strange ringing in my ears. It grew more distinct…and then I heard it: "A new power shall rise again, greater and more powerful than ever before." I snapped. It was the shortest vision, yet it was the most terrifying of all. I couldn't get it off my mind…even as I went back to the common room and up the dormitory that night. It lingered. It stayed. It haunted me. It was all my mind could see._

***

Hermione tugged at a few strands of her hair nervously, then clutched her books tighter to her chest as she made her way to the study the following morning. She wasn't feeling too good, partially because she had only slept for two hours (after thinking about Malfoy too much), and partially because she was nervous about Malfoy's test. She did all she could the night before to teach him everything he had needed to know, but she doubted whether or not he'd be able to remember everything she taught him. After their tutorial last night, he'd gone straight to the Slytherin common room to answer the test, and Hermione went back to her room, feeling anxious for him. She didn't know how he fared, and she was genuinely troubled that he might fail, not because she knew she'd be punished as well, but because she knew that passing History of Magic was very important to him. And she didn't even know why she was actually, truly worried about him.

She exhaled heavily to release her tension as she approached the secret entrance. Her nervousness just added up because she felt all jittery at the thought of having to spend time alone with him again. She'd learned not to deny her feelings that she really was attracted to him after giving it much thought, but still she couldn't help but feel insecure about her new emotions. Surely she didn't want to _fall_ for him, but perhaps this was only a teenage crush, just simply an _attraction_. She would never really feel deeply for him, would she?

But whatever the case, she knew for a fact that she was attracted, and she was willing to let it stay that way. She would not let it go any further than that. This, she assured herself, would definitely go away sooner or later.

She cleared her throat and said the password, taking a deep breath again as she entered. She stopped in her tracks when she saw him already there again, in the same position as when she caught him there the day before.

She shook her head and tried to clear her thoughts, and she lay down on the other couch as well, imitating his position. She battled with her emotions and reasons for a while, before finally deciding to ask him how the test went instead of suffering inner torment of not knowing how he fared.

She turned to look at him. "Hey…how did the test go?"

He shifted in his position, but still didn't look at her. "Fine."

Unfriendly. Still unfriendly. Was she the only one who had changed her feelings when they had the mud fight two nights ago? Did he still think of her as the same 'Mudblood' he always taunted? Or had he also somehow changed the way he felt? Hermione didn't know for sure. He really hadn't teased her since the last night of their detention, but he really hadn't been all that pleasant either. Maybe it was only she. "Do you…think you'll pass?"

Malfoy didn't answer for a while, but then he said, "I doubt it."

At this, Hermione had never felt guiltier in her entire life. She sighed. "Listen, I'm really sorry if I haven't really done my part these past few days in tutoring you, and I know it's my fault that you'll most probably fail the test, so…" she swallowed. "I was thinking maybe…er…we should have another session every night after dinner."

She bit her lip, expecting him to glare at her or tell her she was nuts or say he'd rather die than have another session or simply say anything at all to make it a hurtful rejection, but with each second of his silence, she could feel herself relax bit by bit. What was he thinking? Was he considering the thought? Would he actually accept it? It was for his own good (although it was also for hers as well; not only would she be able to finally fulfill her responsibilities, but she'd also get to spend more time with him)…or was he simply thinking of the best words to say to rub it in her face that he didn't want to?

And finally, after the long silence, he sighed. "Whatever, Granger."

_I'll take that as a yes,_ she thought, biting back a smile. That wasn't exactly the kind of acceptance she was hoping for, but it was definitely a start.

_Yep_, she grinned. _Definitely._


	6. Within

**PART FIVE**

_Within_

Malfoy pressed his left hand to his closed eyes and gritted his teeth. This was _not_ good at all. Even as he was sitting here at the side bench of the Quidditch field under the shelter in the pouring rain, he still couldn't quite figure it out. It was still lingering in his thoughts, confusing him, haunting him, making him lose concentration.

He sighed and gripped the handle of his Light Year Twenty Ten more tightly in his right hand, leaning back against the wall. He looked up at the blackened sky, as a flash of lightning momentarily illuminated it. Moments later, the thunder followed. Just great. The start of Quidditch season and it was already raining.

But even with this thought, he still couldn't bring himself to be distracted. Because recently, there was only one thought that was always on his mind.

Hermione Granger.

He knew he'd made a big mistake when he softened up to her the night of their last detention. Sure, it was alright to laugh _at_ her; he was always doing that. But that night, that laughter he'd shown somehow didn't seem to be intended as an insult for once. It almost seemed as if…he was laughing _with_ her. And he didn't know why. Maybe because he thought she was really funny, or maybe because he was probably too sleepy and too tired to think straight. Okay, so there was definitely a logical explanation to that.

But _having a mud fight with her?_ That was totally absurd. He couldn't imagine himself to have actually done that. _And to have actually enjoyed it._ Was he out of his mind?

That, and the fact that he'd assured her he was going to see her at the session the next day, was out of his understanding. So he dismissed it all as the effect of fatigue or something. But that very night, in the middle of his regular nightmares, when he was beginning to sweat once again and his cut was beginning to hurt, her image popped into his mind all of a sudden. And surprisingly, he felt…well…safe. It was like it gave him peace.

Of course, this was only temporary, but it _had_ made him feel good, even for a short while. And this, he couldn't decipher at all. He lay awake again that night, the thought confusing him. And he instantly remembered that she had been worried about his wound when they were out there on the fields. The question was, _why?_

Why was she so worried all of a sudden? Why did she care at all about her sworn enemy? Why was she concerned about his injury when she was supposed to be jumping for joy that he was hurt?

All these disturbing thoughts had obsessed him all throughout his waking hours, and when he'd arrived at the study earlier than she had the next day, he had lain on the couch, thinking, trying to figure out what the heck had happened to Granger's brain overnight. She hadn't even acted normal when she came in, and he'd decided to make the first move of putting things back to the way they were before the whole 'mud' incident. He'd made a rude comment on her, and had expected her to snap back just like before, but instead, she had kept quiet and had even been concerned enough to ask him if he knew how to pass the quiz McGonagall had given.

It was sheer lunacy.

And so he'd tried to give distance between the two of them for a while, but that didn't really last for long. By the end of the day, he knew he had to answer the test sooner or later, and there was no other way to do that but to ask for her help. Approaching her was his only option. She'd been a little bitchy about it—that was normal, at least—but then when they reached the study, she'd gotten all serious and concerned. There were no pranks, no comebacks, no practical jokes. It almost seemed like she was _really_ determined to help him pass. Somehow, she'd made it clear to him that she was doing this for _his_ sake, not because the school asked her to. _That_ was just plain weird. Barking mad, that was what she was.

Of course, that wasn't what he was thinking of at that time. He was grateful, yes, but he would be a complete idiot if he were to show it. He'd kept his usual obnoxious attitude, but she hadn't seemed to mind. On the contrary, the more he'd tried to annoy her, the more she'd seemed to care for him. It was disturbing and he didn't like it at all, except at the near end of the session, when she'd reached for the book on the floor beside him and across from her, and her left breast had accidentally and _very_ slightly brushed against his shoulder. He remembered that he had swallowed heavily and had tried not to notice when she'd immediately leaned back into her seat, flushing like it was the fourth of July.

He had to admit; Granger had really grown over the years. She was not half that bad, and there was definitely some potential in her, if only she weren't so absorbed in her books and, of course, a Mudblood.

Still, despite that, he really didn't feel any attraction to her—no, none at all. He wasn't mesmerized by her looks, or petrified at her touch, or whatever it was that love struck people were experiencing. He just simply found it weird for her to suddenly change the way she treated him. She was always concerned. And just this morning, she'd shown that concern again. Even when he'd acted all cold and offensive, she hadn't seemed to notice.

But the thing that freaked him out the most, was that the thought of Granger always seemed to have this…calming effect on him. At night during his nightmares, during the day whenever he was pissed, in bed whenever his wound hurt and during classes whenever he was bored. The thought of her was almost…comfortable.

And it was confusing him more than anyone could ever know. Because of this, he couldn't even get started on his next and final task, which was already long overdue.

He was snapped out of his reverie when his teammates poured out from the locker rooms and made their way towards him under the shelter. He stood up from the bench he was sitting on and tried to clear off any thoughts of Granger, at least for now.

"Ready for practice?" His Keeper, Shawn Peregrine, nodded towards the Quidditch field.

"You bet," he replied, looking around at his team. "You all know what to do, right? Just follow what I explained a while back."

He was answered by "yeahs" and "okays" and a "let's do it", and soon they all shuffled out into the field, under the heavy rain. He watched as six green robes began mounting brooms, and just when he was about to mount his, he spotted a red robe walking out into the field as well from afar.

He frowned and clenched his fist, as he made his way towards the red robe. Even in the distance, he knew exactly who it was.

"Potter!" he shouted as he reached him. "What the hell do you think you're doing? The Slytherin team is practicing tonight!"

Harry glared back at him. "I don't think so, Malfoy. You know perfectly well that Gryffindor practices at exactly this time of the night! Your schedule is supposed to be _after_ ours!"

"Oh, and since when did we have a schedule?" he snapped sarcastically. "I could've sworn Madam Hooch allowed us to practice whenever we wanted to."

"Come off it, Malfoy! Do you honestly want _us_ to suddenly barge into _your_ practices if you were in my shoes?" Harry answered angrily.

"Isn't _that_ what you're doing now?"

"This is _our field_ tonight!"

"I can't delay the practice tonight!" Malfoy said. _Because if I postpone any later…I won't make it to the session…_He shook his head, cursing himself for wanting to attend the stupid tutorial. "So you'll just have to deal with us sharing your space, okay Potter? Or is your ego too big to fit two teams here at once?"

Harry merely glared at him again and headed for the locker rooms, where his team was waiting for him. Malfoy smirked and returned to the field.

"What did the 'Saint' want?" one of his Beaters, Eric Polansky, asked, gripping his club tightly.

"He's whining about his pathetic team's schedule," Malfoy answered, mounting his broom as well. "Forget him; just think of it this way—we'll be having target practice tonight."

The rest of the team sniggered, and soon all seven robes were speeding high into the air, tossing heavy Muggle bowling balls at each other. It had been Chaser Madeline Brown, taking up Muggle Studies, who suggested to Malfoy that they use the bowling balls as replacement for the Quaffles, because the heavier the balls, the more difficult it was to throw them, which meant it would be excellent for training. And ever since Malfoy had become team captain in their fifth year, they had been alternating with the Gryffindors in winning the Quidditch Cup. But this year though, Malfoy was determined to win the Cup no matter what.

He soared through the air, shaking his damp bangs out of his eyes as he reached out and caught the small plastic ball he'd bewitched to fly, and when he squinted down he spotted seven red robes making their way out into the field as well. He smirked. This was going to be fun.

Soon, the Gryffindors were zooming here and there too, and Malfoy grinned again as he watched his teammates swerving and flying in their way. He jerked up a bit in surprise though, when all of a sudden Harry stopped short in front of him, wearing the best frown Malfoy had ever seen.

"Tell your ruddy team to stop interfering with our practice! My team can't do anything, for crying out loud!" he said in fury.

"Oh, really?" Malfoy sneered. "Guess your team's no good after all, eh, Potter?" He threw the small plastic ball into the air and caught it again, enjoying the priceless look on Harry's infuriated face. "Tell you what, Saint Potter. Since I'm feeling a tad bit generous tonight, I'll cut an agreement with you. If you manage to catch this 'Snitch' before I do, then I'll lay off your practice space, _and_ your practice time. Deal?"

Harry didn't seem to need telling twice. "Deal."

"I must warn you, though; I don't think your rusty Firebolt can catch up to my Light Year." Malfoy snickered and threw the plastic ball, watching as it flew away. He turned to Harry. "One—two—three—"

And they sped off. All the people on the broomsticks immediately moved out of the way as a dash of red and green broke through the rain and into the dark night, swerving and zooming at exactly the same pace. But soon, the green haze was starting to gain more speed.

"What's the matter, Potter? Your Firebolt's sentimental value is losing its touch?" Malfoy taunted, as he watched Harry disappearing farther and farther behind him. He grinned. He could sense Harry speeding up behind him at his words, but still he knew he was no match for him. 

Up ahead, he could see the faint outline of the small ball zigzagging away, down, down, lower down near the ground, and a flash of lightning told him he was near. _Very_ near. Potter was going to have to lose his practice space.

He smirked again and reached out. He was almost there—he could see it—it was coming closer—and closer—

Until he caught a glimpse of bushy brown hair emerge into the sheltered benches. And in a split second, he could no longer feel his broomstick beneath him. All he could feel was the aching pain on his neck and on his back.

He realized he'd lost his balance and fallen flat on the ground.

His eyes caught seven green blurs swoop down on him at once, and a red one stop right in front of him. He shook his head and tried to clear his eyesight, thankful that he hadn't been flying high.

He slowly sat up and met the worried gaze of his team members, and he reached for his neck and groaned. It hurt, but it wasn't so bad. Instantly, he saw Harry make a move towards him. "Malfoy, are you—"

"Shut up, Potter." He tried to stand up and he picked up his broom. "Practice is over."

One by one, his teammates started making their way back to the lockers, still stealing worried glances at him. He knew they didn't want to finish up for the night yet, but having worked with them for years, he knew no one would protest. He was captain, and no one dared to oppose him.

He turned his back on Harry and began heading back to the lockers as well, but not before glancing at the benches again. And he was right. Hermione Granger, accompanied by the weasel, was right there, probably watching Boy Wonder's alleged Quidditch skills.

He cursed as he realized that he found this disturbing—the fact that she was out here in the rain just to watch the practice of Scarhead. He glanced at her again, and saw that she was _staring_ at him. Him, not Mr. Fame-philic. He frowned menacingly, and she immediately turned red and looked away, then began running out into the rain with Weasley to meet up with their friend.

_Damn that Granger,_ he thought irritably. _She just graciously made me lose my focus!_

And he had _no_ idea why.

***

He ran his hand through his wet hair again, annoyed that it hadn't dried off while he was changing out of his Quidditch robes a while back in the lockers. All the way from the field, to the showers, and to the study, he couldn't seem to get his mind off her, and the irritating way she'd distracted him. All that thinking was really starting to get to him, and his brain was pretty stressed out.

Too bad he felt obliged to attend tonight's session and wear his brain out some more.

"Nickel Knacks," he muttered exhaustedly, and stepped into the study. He stopped dead in his tracks as soon as he looked up from the floor.

Granger was sitting on the carpeted floor by the fireplace, her back to him, the flickering of the fire reflecting on her long, brown locks, which were pushed to one side of her neck and were all gently resting on one shoulder. In her hand was a brush, and Malfoy found himself staring at the way she combed her straight, wet hair stroke by stroke.

For some unknown reason, he felt like it was the most breathtaking sight he'd ever seen.

He swallowed heavily and felt his face get hot, but at the same time wanted to smack himself. What the hell was he thinking?

He cleared his throat to make his presence known, and she immediately jerked up in surprise. Hadn't she heard him say the password outside?

She scrambled away from the fire and flipped her damp hair behind her shoulders anxiously, then walked to the table and sat down. He followed and sat down across from her.

"Sorry; I…didn't hear you come in," she said apologetically. "Are you ready to start? Or do you need to rest for a while?"

_There she goes again with the bloody concern,_ he frowned. "I do _not_ need to rest. For your information, that fall didn't hurt a bit," he lied. _Plus it was your fault anyway,_ he added inwardly.

"Okay…" she replied uncertainly. "You're sure you're not—"

"I'm _positive_, okay?" he cut in irately. "What the hell do you care, anyway?"

He intended it as more of a statement than a question, and he wanted to end the conversation at that. But she answered him, to his surprise, and it was another answer he could never understand.

"I just care," she replied. "Is there anything wrong with that?"

And this sparked the impatience in him. "Yes! Yes, it's wrong, in case you haven't noticed! You care too much all of a sudden and it's not right!"

Again, she looked hurt. "I never knew there was something wrong about caring for someone."

"There isn't, but in this case, there is." He sighed. "So stop it, Granger. I hate it."

He hoped for her to say something more, to defend her answer or to simply say "shut up" like she always did, but she merely kept quiet and stopped making conversation for the remainder of the night, except when she was explaining something.

Malfoy, though he didn't want to admit it, wished more than anything that he hadn't said what he did.

_***_

I didn't feel too good that night. Perhaps the rain had gotten to my head. Luckily there were no visions that came my way. But as I lay awake in my bed, staring at the ceiling, I couldn't help but ponder on everything I had seen so far. Slytherin and Gryffindor were definitely involved. Red eyes, green light, screams and blood? Only one thought may be attributed to that. It most probably concerned the Dark Lord, Voldemort. But the blond hair…where had it come from? And the forest…that I couldn't quite place. What was with the sixth serpent, and the terrifying new power that would rise again…?

Hey, it's me again! I'm really, really, REALLY sorry for taking so long to upload…I was kind of pretty busy lately, and then there was the camping and all…and yes, my bones _do_ ache and I'm soooooo tired from all the training stuff! Anyway, my point is that I haven't been getting enough spare time for myself so it took me a while to upload…sorry talaga:D But once again, thank you sooooooooo much for those who reviewed!!! Those reviews were what kept me going. Thanks a lot, and please don't stop filling me in on what you think of my work:D Thanks so much!


	7. Through Fate's Torture

**PART SIX**

**_Through Fate's Torture_**

****

****

Hermione twisted and turned in her seat the next morning, constantly checking her watch and glancing at the secret entrance. Right after Transfiguration, she'd raced to the study in hopes of seeing Malfoy already in, because she'd been waiting to hear his score. McGonagall had told her this morning that Malfoy's test results were coming out today, and Professor Snape was going to give the exam back to him during his first period Potions class. Since then, she'd been dying to know how he fared.

It was too bad he still wasn't here yet.

She fiddled with her thumbs and squirmed in her seat again, and soon stiffened when he heard him come in. She immediately looked at his expression. And her heart dropped to her stomach.

"Don't ask," he grumbled, walking towards a couch and dropping down listlessly on it. He tossed the stack of parchment in his hand at the desk. "I failed."

She didn't say anything as she reached out and took the test papers. She began flipping through the pages, and saw that he'd barely gotten half of the questions correctly. And she felt worse than she'd had in weeks.

"Malfoy, I…I'm sorry. I should have taken this more seriously—"

"It's not your fault," he replied, surprising her. She wanted to apologize some more, but something in his tone told her not to.

"Don't worry; it was only a practice test, right? There'll be more to come, and I swear I'll tell you everything I know. C'mon, it's not so bad…" she trailed off, peering into his face and trying to read his expression. There didn't seem to be any.

She bit her lip. What was he thinking? Didn't this mean anything to him? Well, of course it did; he'd been serious enough to ask her help that night, right? And he actually looked dejected when he came in. But…why didn't he look upset right now? Was he just hiding it? Or was he…was he _afraid_…? Afraid of what?

She looked down as a horrible thought came over her. His father wouldn't…_punish_ him, would he…?

_Nah, he couldn't possibly do that_, she mused. His father loved him more than anything else and was always concerned about his well-being. They always seemed to get along really well whenever she saw them together. It was impossible.

"Granger," Malfoy suddenly said, making her look up at him again.

"Yes?"

"Tell McGonagall I went back to the common room to…get something." He rose from the couch and started walking towards the entrance.

She stood up as well. "But—"

"Just do as I say for once," he snapped, and she couldn't help but notice the weak tone in his voice. She watched him go without another word, and then dropped back onto the couch.

Why did she have a feeling she'd just gotten Malfoy into trouble?

***

He gritted his teeth again, staring blankly at his plate. It looked like it was all he could do the whole day. He hadn't felt like eating lunch a while ago, he hadn't felt like attending any of his classes, he hadn't felt like talking to Crabbe or Goyle, he hadn't felt like having a humiliate-Potter-field-day, and he certainly didn't feel like eating dinner tonight. Which was why he was looking at his plate like it would burst into flames any second. He was grateful that the Slytherins seemed to understand the way he was feeling and were all keeping their distance, even though they had no clue why he was acting this way.

Finally, when he couldn't take it anymore, he pushed back his chair noisily, causing the Slytherins to look at him in apprehension. He stalked out of the Great Hall alone, and Crabbe and Goyle knew better than to follow him. He was glad that they knew when to give him some time to himself. He passed by the Gryffindor table and spotted Granger looking worriedly at him again, and this only made his gut feeling worse.

But he couldn't dwell on that thought just yet. Because right now, all he could think of was when his father had called for him this morning, and they were supposed to meet in the second floor abandoned classroom after dinner tonight. He didn't like the sound of that at all, and more than once, he'd considered making a run for it, but in the end, he knew that if he ran, he'd be facing more trouble than he already was.

He took a deep breath and pushed the classroom door open, his heart dropping when he spotted his father already there. Slowly, he closed the door behind him, and his father immediately turned to look at him. Lucius took out his wand and pointed at the door, causing it to lock. He then waved around the room and Malfoy knew at once that he'd cast a Silencing Charm. He'd seen it one too many times.

Malfoy swallowed. This was _not_ good.

Lucius slowly walked towards him, eyeing him up and down. When his father didn't say anything, he figured he should start. "Father, I—"

Lucius held up his hand. "I don't need explanations, boy. I need answers. Simple, straight answers."

Malfoy looked down at the ground. He knew what was coming. All his life, he'd been tolerating every single punishment his father gave him, and he should've gotten used to them by now, but no. Lucius always seemed to find a way to make each punishment different, and more horrifying than the last. And now, no matter how much Malfoy had been through, no matter how well his knowledge in the Dark Arts was, and no matter how many curses and counter curses his father had taught him, he still felt as vulnerable as a little child.

"Why did you fail the test?" Lucius asked, and Malfoy opened his mouth to speak, but his father spoke again. "No, wait. That's not it. Tell me, Draco, how many times do you attend your tutorials?"

"Once a day, father."

"Ah, once a day." Lucius began circling his son. "And what do you do during these sessions?"

"I…" Malfoy hesitated, but thought better of it. "I study alone, father."

"You study alone," Lucius repeated. "Do you _know_ what the word 'tutorial' means?"

"Yes, I do…"

"You do, don't you?" He stopped walking and faced his son. "Then _why_ did you fail?"

"I was—" Malfoy met his father's gaze and summoned all the courage he had left. "I didn't take it seriously."

"Exactly," Lucius said in a voice of stone. "Don't you know how much your grades weigh? Don't you know how much _I_ was counting on you? Don't you know how _big_ this mistake of yours is? And don't you know _how high_ the Dark Lord was expecting of _you_???"

Malfoy tried not to flinch as his father's voice rose higher and higher. "Of course…I do…"

"No, you don't!" Lucius sneered. "_Crucio!_"

Malfoy fell to the ground and opened his mouth, but he couldn't hear his scream. The only sound coming through to him was an ear-splitting blare that seemed to be coming from nowhere…and he felt as if his bones were all bending and breaking…his head was spinning…his sight was whitening…and he felt like his body was being torn limb from limb…

All of a sudden it stopped, and Malfoy found himself on the ground on all fours, panting heavily, sweat trickling all over his body. He'd experienced it more than once, but it _never_ got old. The pain always got worse.

Lucius watched as his son coughed out blood on the floor, still panting. "I thought I told you that your grades _matter_ a lot? I did everything in my power to help you! How _dare _you take this as some sort of a joke!"

Malfoy struggled to speak. "I…I don't, father…I…did what I could—"

"You call _failing the practice test_ as doing what you could??? And what about the final task??? I've had enough of your procrastinations!!!" Lucius kicked his stomach and he fell to his side, squirming. "I _won't_ tolerate your behavior, boy! Do you wish to live through your seventh year with an Imperius Curse cast on you???"

"No…no, please…" Malfoy wheezed weakly.

"Then do as I tell you!" Lucius kicked him again on the floor and he groaned. "_Will_ you assure me that you will pass this subject?" He pointed his wand at him. "_Will_ you finish your task as soon as I let your filthy body out these doors?"

"I…will…father…"

"See to it that you do! _Crucio_!"

And Lucius watched as his son twitched and cried out in pain, rolling on the floor in sheer agony. He smirked as the torture went on, making sure that his son kept his word.

***

Ron immediately withdrew his hand from the card deck, as it exploded and barely missed him. He blew out a breath of air and leaned back against the common room couch. Suddenly very aware of the silence around him, he glanced sideways at Harry, who was sprawled on the carpeted floor, staring into space.

Ron grabbed another deck from his shabby robe pocket. "Want to play Exploding Snap?"

Harry jerked up in surprise and decided to take a seat on one of the chairs. "No thanks," he sighed. "I've still got tons of homework to do." He pulled his chair near the table and started gathering his books scattered on it.

"Now, _you're_ getting boring. Everyone else is already doing assignments, Harry. Why can't you lay off the homework for a while and come play with me?" Ron grinned.

"Not now, Ron…" Harry replied exasperatedly, letting his head fall on the table.

Ron peered at him. "What's with you? You look like you're going to be mighty sick. You've got these huge circles under your eyes." His eyes widened. "You're not accompanying Hermione on her Head-Girl-duty nights, are you? Because if you are, then you might as well just drag me along with you so we can all go visit Hagrid after Hermione's duties."

Harry raised his head from the table and rolled his eyes at Ron. "Why on earth would I accompany her? She heads out the common room every night after dinner and returns just before lights out. I've got enough to worry about than waste my precious time after dinner trailing behind her." And he plopped down on the table again.

Ron looked relieved. "Okay—so why _do_ you look like you bloody haven't slept for ages?"

"I'm tired, Ron…drop it," Harry mumbled, this time not bothering to look at him.

_Yeah, right; you're tired because you keep spending time with Cho too much these days,_ Ron smiled to himself. He leaned back against the couch again, glancing around at the empty common room. Everyone had gone to their own rooms to do their homework. And now the only person in the common room with him was either reading a book _really_ closely or drifting off to dreamland. Perhaps he should get a move on with his homework too…?

_Nah,_ Ron shrugged, grabbing his pack of cards again. _Homework can wait._

Chapter too short, I know. I'm sorry! Harry's acting weird recently, don't you think? Anyways, up next is the chapter everyone's been waiting for, I guess:D Hermione and Draco's first intimate moment! Well, actually it's not really all that hot and explicit…in fact, I think it's too awful :D I really am kinda afraid to write anything that might offend the rating, so I can't unleash my…ahem…dark and naughty side:D Please don't expect too much:D And send me your comments, please! TY!:D


	8. The Desire to Give In

**PART SEVEN**

**_The Desire to Give In_**

****

****

Hermione sighed. It was late…in fact, _too_ late. She should've known Malfoy wouldn't show up tonight. And she'd wasted her whole night here waiting for nothing. She might as well have taken up Harry and Ron's offer to visit Hagrid tonight. It had been a long time since she'd paid him a visit in his hut, plus she felt kind of bad having to lie to Harry and Ron about her Head Girl duties, when all she was doing was having another session with Malfoy.

But she was just too worried about him to care. What on earth just happened? When did she suddenly become obsessed with Malfoy's welfare? Even at dinner today, when he'd left without even touching his food (goodness, she even _knew_ that?), she'd been worried to death, wondering if he was okay or where he was going. It was just too weird now, even for her. Did being attracted come with being so concerned?

She shook her head and stood up. She was going to have to return to the common room. It was already late, and she was going to reach the student curfew soon. She didn't want another detention; that, she was sure of.

She walked to the entrance and said the password, but she gasped as soon as the doorway opened.

Malfoy was right there in front of her, leaning against Wendelin the Weird.

"Oh, god! Malfoy, what happened?" She immediately stepped back into the study, watching him as he limped his way inside as well.

"None of your business," he said, and she noticed that even his voice sounded pained. She looked at his state: his hair was tousled, his robes were a mess, and the bandage on his right hand was soaking with dried blood. Even the way he walked was injured. What in the _world_ happened to him?

She followed him as he reached the desk and sat down on one of the chairs. He leaned against the table and buried his head into his hands, and she saw that even his left hand had bruises and a few small cuts.

"Malfoy, are you okay…?" She reached out and touched his shoulder, but he immediately shrugged it away. He looked up at her coldly and her heart wrenched, seeing the bruises on his face.

"Look, I don't even know why the _hell_ I decided to show up here tonight, so let's just—" he stopped and covered his mouth as he coughed, and she saw even more blood. "Let's just get this over with, and fast."

Hermione didn't want to protest because she knew Malfoy meant what he'd just said. But she just couldn't leave it at that. She knew something happened, something_ bad_ happened, and she was going to figure it out sooner or later. For now, she was going to have to give him what he wanted. Later tonight, she swore she would definitely find out.

She sat down across from him and opened her book, watching as he opened his as well with his shaking hand. She winced as she saw the pain in his eyes, and her heart ached to reach out and try to ease his pain. This was too much. Seeing him suffer like this was definitely torturing her.

They both sat in silence for a while, with Hermione casting worried glances at him from time to time. Soon, she saw him bow and rest his forehead on his right hand, and she looked back at her own book. After a few more minutes, she glanced up at him again, and saw that he hadn't moved.

Hermione straightened up in her seat, looking at him warily. "Malfoy…?" she said in barely a whisper. When he didn't respond, she leaned closer. "Malfoy?" she asked again, and soon realized that his eyes were closed. 

Her hand flew to her mouth, and for a split second she actually thought that he might be dead. But the steady rise and fall of his chest told her that he'd merely fallen unconscious, probably from exhaustion.

She pushed her chair back and walked to his side, kneeling down. She reached out tentatively, afraid he might wake up, and gently caressed the wounds on his left arm where the robe ended. The cuts and bruises were fresh, she could tell, but at least they had dried and weren't bleeding anymore. But still, she knew that the wounds needed cleaning, and the bruises needed tending to.

She withdrew her hand as the touch of him sent shivers through her, and for a moment she wanted to touch him again. She shook her head as her face felt hot, and she swallowed heavily. What was she going to do? She couldn't send for Madam Pomfrey or any of the professors; it was already past their curfew and she and Malfoy would be caught dead in detention again; not to mention she'd be asked a whole bunch of questions about Malfoy's condition, which of course, she didn't know herself. She couldn't call for any of her friends either, knowing that this tutoring thing was supposed to be a secret.

And she knew perfectly well that she couldn't just leave him here like this.

She took a deep breath as a decision came to her, and all at once she felt tensed again. But there was no other choice; it was all she could do.

She stood up before she could change her mind and started heading for the common room, hoping against hope that she wouldn't be seen.

***

_Pain…_

_Too much pain…_

_White-hot pain…_

_It's all over me…everywhere…around me…_

_Please…_

_Somebody …_

_Help me…_

_Make it stop…_

_Let me rest…_

_Let me die…_

_In peace…_

_Someone…_

_Anyone…_

_Help…_

_…me…_

All of Malfoy's senses came flooding back to him as he opened his eyes, and all at once the pain all throughout his body rushed through, making him let out a soft cry. It was then that he realized that he was lying down on something soft…a couch…specifically…the study room's couch.

And it was also then that he realized he wasn't wearing any shirt.

He immediately jerked up and the blanket covering his torso fell to his hips. A shot of electricity seeped through his veins, and he winced again. 

"Thank goodness you're awake."

His eyes widened as he recognized the voice. He turned to his side and his horrors were confirmed. "Oh, _sh*t_! What the bloody hell did you just do?!?"

Hermione frowned from the desk and chairs, which she had pushed to one side of the room, and walked towards him, sitting down on a chair she'd pulled up next to the couch. "I just saved you, Oh Ungrateful One," she said. "But seeing how you're so thankful, now I'm wishing I should've just left you here in your condition."

Malfoy frowned. "I don't need tending to, Granger." He clutched his right hand and saw that the bandage was replaced. "And where the hell are my robes?"

All of a sudden Hermione flushed like a tomato. "I—er—had to remove them so that I could treat your wounds."

Malfoy looked down at himself and noticed the bruises on his body. He blushed at the thought of Granger having seen him half naked. Thank heavens that he was still wearing his pants.

"Anyway…" Hermione cleared her throat. "You're not all that well yet, and I haven't finished treating you. So stay still for a minute, won't you?"

He watched as she moved closer, holding up some cotton balls in her hand. He edged away instantly. "What's it to you? Just leave me alone." And he began to shuffle out of the couch.

But Hermione grabbed his arm and held him back. "Just stay put for once! You _need_ this whether you like it or not."

He pushed her hand away. "There you go again! Damn it, why do you care so much, Granger? Haven't I told you to stop freakin' fussing all over me?"

"Will you lay off your pride for just a second???" Hermione raised her voice. "I don't care whether you're Draco Malfoy or even if you're the Queen of England! You need help and that's what matters!"

He glared at her. "What matters is that _you're_ a filthy Mudblood and I don't need anything from you!"

At that, she raised her hand and slapped him hard across the cheek, surprising him. He stayed that way for a while—his face turned to one side—in silence.

"I can't believe that's all you ever worry about!" Hermione shouted, and he couldn't help but notice the trembling in her voice. "I…I don't know what's gotten into me these past few days, but all I seem to care about is _you_ and your _damn_ condition! I've been fretting about your _grades_ and I've been worrying about you ever since you failed! And now…you come to the study and I find you like this…and I treat your wounds and do everything I can…" she trailed off. "But still all you can think about is how much of a dirty blood I am to be doing all this for you…you should be ashamed of yourself!"

Malfoy slowly turned to look at her, shocked at her confession, and saw that angry tears were flowing endlessly down her flushed cheeks.

"It doesn't matter if a person is pureblood or not, but to you, that seems to be the only thing that matters in this world," she continued, holding back a sob. "How _dare_ you tell me that you don't need my help, when that's all I've been doing for the past weeks!" She paused, closing her eyes to let the tears fall, breathing heavily and trying to gain control over herself. After a few seconds, she opened her eyes again and glared hurtfully at him, the tears still streaking down her face. "You know, I actually thought that there was a chance you might—you _just might_—appreciate it all. But I was very wrong." She started to sob and stood up.

But he caught her wrist and stopped her, watching as she broke down and began sobbing even more, the crystal tears flooding her eyes.

And right then and there, he leaned towards her and pressed his lips to hers.

Her eyes widened as her sobbing was forcibly stopped. She wrung her wrist away from his grasp, but his grip was just too tight. She struggled to push him away, but his other hand found its way to her back, pulling her closer to him. As soon as she felt the gap between them close, all she could think of was how this was all so wrong…but felt so right.

She closed her eyes and found her body relaxing, although her heart was still going crazy. She then felt the tip of Malfoy's tongue on her lips, and she, by instinct, parted her lips to give him way.

All thoughts of protest left her mind when she felt his tongue plunge into her, exploring her depths. She heard herself moan in pleasure as he pulled her closer, and she felt the hunger inside his mouth. Soon, she herself entered his mouth as well, and she found that he tasted…perfect.

She moaned again as he continued teasing her, and her hands automatically crawled to his bare chest, causing him to jerk suddenly and then pull away from her. She moved away, panting, blushing like crazy as she looked at him looking at her.

And then all sense of reason came rushing back into her. The first one that popped into her mind was: _what had she just done?_

Malfoy, too, seemed to return to his senses. He reddened and looked down. "Damn it…" he muttered.

And from the way he said it, Hermione somehow knew that he was thinking of her blood again. That was the last straw.

She stood up angrily as she began to find it hard to breathe. The air around her seemed to thicken and her sight began to blur with the brimming tears. She knew she wasn't just attracted to Malfoy anymore; there was something more than that. She knew it when they'd kissed, but it seemed like he only did that just because he felt like it, and she knew he was regretting kissing a Mudblood more than ever. 

She heatedly grabbed her belongings and all the materials she had brought from the common room, her hands shaking with hurt and anger. She started marching towards the entrance when she heard a hurried shuffling sound behind her.

"Hermione, wait."

She closed her eyes and swallowed, trying not to let the fact that he'd said her first name make her stop. She continued on her way, until she felt his bandaged hand take hold of her arm. "Please listen—"

"What's there to listen to?" She turned around and looked at him through the tears in her eyes. "All I'll ever hear is how much of a disgusting Mudblood I am!"

"No, that's not it," he replied, and she saw the sincere look in his eyes that hadn't been there before. "Look, I'm sorry I said all that…I'm sorry if I hurt you, many, many times. I grew up thinking that way, and it's hard to just change that in a snap."

She jerked her arm away from his hold, but still she stayed to listen, because she couldn't help but notice a sense of helplessness and pleading in his tone. He was actually…_apologizing_ to her…?

"I'm sorry," he repeated. "I'm just really…so damn confused and I tried to keep being mean to you…I tried to keep pushing you away—but ever since our last night in detention, I've been thinking about you a little too much. And I keep having these damn questions in my mind…I didn't really want to accept it, and I don't really know why…" He leaned closer to her. "But now I do…"

Hermione stiffened as she watched him raise a finger and trace the path of wet tears down her cheeks, slowly moving down to her chin. "I know why the thought of you always seems to comfort me…" he whispered, making her tingle all over. "I know why I can't get you off my mind…" his finger continued to move down. "And I know why your presence at the Quidditch practice made me lose all the concentration I had…" She swallowed as his finger moved down to the valley between her breasts, his gaze never leaving her face. "Because you, Hermione Granger, are the most beautiful angel I have ever seen."

And she dropped all the things she was holding and closed her eyes as he claimed her lips again, this time more passionately. Her mind shouted out that she shouldn't have been fooled by his sweet words after all they've been through, but his tongue just made it impossible for her to do that. All her anger and hatred and all the hurt in her heart just disappeared as Malfoy continued tasting her, and she let out a throaty moan when his hands traveled to her hips and pulled her to his body. 

Her hands found their way to his neck again and she pulled him close as well, and then she heard him make a sound into her mouth. His right hand immediately crawled up her belly and clutched her breast, squeezing it in the most erotic way she'd ever imagined. She moaned again and felt a hot wetness between her legs, a feeling she'd never felt more than ever.

Malfoy let go of her lips and she whined in protest, but was soon rewarded when he started kissing her neck. She leaned her head back to give him more skin, and she realized that his hands were slowly removing the upper buttons on her robes.

Her eyes flew open and she was just about to say something, but then Malfoy hit a sensitive spot on her neck and she heard herself groan again. She never noticed that he'd successfully rid her of her robes. 

She felt him fumbling now for the buttons of her blouse, and it was then that she found the strength to speak, though weakly. "Malfoy…" she sighed. "Wait…we shouldn't…" she trailed off when he opened his mouth and started licking her skin. She closed her eyes and whimpered helplessly, entangling her fingers in his uncombed hair.

He undid the last button and slid her blouse off her, then slowly kissed his way to her ear. "I know," he whispered, his hot breath sending a tingling sensation between her legs and in her chest. "But I can't stop." And his hands cupped her breasts.

At the first touch of his warm, rough hands on her skin, Hermione finally abandoned all the remaining control she had left and succumbed to him. Right now all she could think of was the attraction she had for him…his face…his touch…his body…and the heated desire and hunger within her that she just wanted to quench so much. She leaned into his body and felt nothing more than lust, which her raging hormones just made impossible to resist. Her knees gave way when his other hand crawled down beneath her skirt and clasped the growing wetness between her legs, and they both fell to the carpeted floor in front of the fireplace, Hermione lying on top of Malfoy. He kissed her yet again, and she drowned in his taste as he rolled her onto her back.

And when he finally tugged at her skirt and exposed her underwear, pressing her against the floor, she groaned out loud in pleasure at the feel of his arousal above her, thankful, for once in her life, that the study was bewitched with a Silencing Charm.

Okay, that was the most pathetic lemony chapter in the history of mankind ever hehehe! Like I said…I don't want to offend the rating…I know, I know; it's totally unsatisfactory and bitin, but hey, it's censored :D There are a few more steamy moments in the future, though…and if I get the guts to go past the rating a little…I'll try to add a teeny bit more spice than this one hehehe…although don't expect too much, okay? :D But tell me if I'm holding it back too much or writing too cautiously. Do you guys think it's okay to really show explicit scenes here in fanfiction.net? I hate not being able to release my full lemon capabilities hehehe!!! :D


	9. In the Arms of Solace

**PART EIGHT**

**_In the Arms of Solace_**

****

_It was too much. Why was I being haunted by these images? None of which I could understand at all? My mind was too full…I was too tired. I remember exactly how I had felt then when I saw the fourth vision. It was different from the rest. I was still standing in front of the forest, yet everything was spinning and I could hear names being cried out from everywhere around me. Salazar Slytherin…Tom Riddle…Quirrell…Peter Pettigrew…Bartemius Crouch…and finally…Lucius Malfoy. And it was all I could take. Soon, I was gritting my teeth and covering my ears with my hands, trying to shut my eyes to everything, trying to squeeze my head, if that were possible. Everything was still spinning…it was all too confusing…it tortured me…until I gave up—and finally screamed._

***

Malfoy woke up the next day with pain all over his body, feeling more exhausted than ever, yet feeling like he was in heaven at the same time. There were no nightmares that haunted him last night; for once, he had a good night's sleep.

He opened his eyes wearily and suddenly felt cold. The fire had burned out, and from the looks of it, he didn't have a trace of clothing on him.

He looked at the lady sleeping soundly beside him, and was mesmerized once again by the heavenly look on her peaceful face, as he felt the steady beating of her heart next to him. He gently brushed his fingers against her cheek, marveling at her softness. She had always been so gentle and fragile…even last night…

He smiled. But he was glad that she'd allowed him to be the first one to break her fragility. It was truly an honor.

He shook his head, seeing that she'd hogged the blanket she'd brought from her common room all to herself, and shifted despite his aching body, fumbling around the scattered pieces of clothing on the floor for his robes. But a gentle hold on his arm stopped him.

"Hey…" Hermione whispered sleepily, smiling with her eyes half-open at him.

He smiled back at her. "Good morning."

She blinked a few times to focus more clearly, then looked at him with a peculiar expression. "What are you doing?"

"I'm trying to find my robes that you conveniently removed," he replied, grinning. "Since you practically snagged the blanket away from me, I'm feeling colder than ever."

She chuckled and pulled him back beside her. "That's okay…I'll keep you warm if you like…" She snuggled closer to him and threw the blanket over the both of them.

He kissed her forehead and put his arms around her, inhaling the sweet scent of her hair. He sighed and never felt more at ease than ever. He knew it was wrong, he knew there would be a lot of consequences and problems that would come because of what they'd just done, but he didn't want to think of that just yet. As of now, all he wanted to do was lie here like this, cuddling her in his arms, forever.

He closed his eyes and remembered how wonderful last night was…how amazing she'd been…and how she'd cried out his name breathlessly over and over again…that was truly a moment he'd remember for the rest of his life.

"Draco…?"

He looked down at her. "Yes?"

"About…about last night…" she stuttered uncertainly. "I…wasn't really too sure about what happened…I mean…why did we…?"

She trailed off, but he knew exactly what she meant. She was wondering why they'd done what they did, without even thinking and trying to contain themselves. He knew she was scared, scared that they might regret what they had done sooner or later. He wanted more than anything to be able to soothe her fears, to tell her that they'd done it because they cared for each other…and they loved each other…but…he couldn't.

Because he didn't know why himself. Did he really want all this to happen? Or was he merely upset last night because of his father's doings that he just wanted a momentary pleasure to get away from it all? Had he really meant everything he'd said to her last night…? Sure, he was attracted to her…_very_ much attracted to her…but perhaps that was all there was to it—attraction and lust.

"I…don't really know," he replied honestly. She then looked away from him sadly. He smiled and lifted her chin to face him. "But we'll figure this out, okay?"

Still she didn't seem convinced. "But…what happens now…? What becomes of us…and surely there will be a price to pay for what we did…"

His face moved close and he kissed her again, making her close her eyes and feel the passion rising up inside of her again. He let go a little too soon, and she opened her eyes into his.

"Whatever happens, whatever penalty may come, we'll face them together; I promise." He smiled soothingly at her.

Finally, she smiled back and started running her fingers on his chest. "You know…I never really got around to finish treating you…" she shifted in her position and began making butterfly kisses across his chest. She stopped and kissed especially the bruises and cuts on his skin. "Do they still hurt…?"

Yes, his whole body ached, in fact. But he closed his eyes and bit his lip, enjoying what she was doing to him. "No…they don't hurt at all."

He felt her smile against his skin, and then she began to sit up. "C'mon, Draco; we need to get a move on or we'll be late for class. Not to mention Harry and Ron might be going ballistic by now—"

She clutched the blanket against her bosom and sat up, but she froze when she felt his fingers reach out to gently run them down her spine. He sat up beside her and kissed her nape, and she found herself closing her eyes again.

"Forget the class," he breathed into her skin. "We can afford to be a little late today."

***

Professor McGonagall walked over to Harry and Ron's seats and handed each of them a knapsack. She then raised her eyebrows at the empty seat beside Ron, supposedly occupied by Hermione. Harry and Ron shrugged, and Professor McGonagall gave them a look of disbelief. 

"Make sure you all hand in a furry feline by the end of this class," she announced to everyone as she moved on to another table to provide them with more knapsacks.

Ron jerked his head towards Hermione's empty seat. "What's the deal with Hermione? She would never be late for class unless she had another subject she had to take at this exact moment." He paused to think. "Hang on, that had already happened, hadn't it?"

"Yeah, but it had never stopped her before. She had even got that Time Turner just so she could attend all her classes on time. _Diffindo_," Harry pointed his wand at the knapsack on his table and its bottom split up with a small tearing sound.

"What are you doing? You're ruining your cat," Ron said wonderingly, staring at Harry's ripped bag.

"Mine still has some school stuff in it and its zippers are stuck. I can't turn it into a cat if it's still got some load," Harry replied, shaking the contents out through the hole and onto the table. Torn parchments and used quills fell out.

"Blimey, that bag must be _really_ old," said Ron, this time pointing his wand at his own knapsack. "_Engorgio_!"

"And what are _you_ doing?" Harry asked after getting rid of all his bag's contents.

"Getting an A," Ron grinned, patting the now bigger backpack on his table. "I reckon the bigger my cat is, the higher McGonagall will mark me for."

Harry grinned as well and returned to his own bag. He knew McGonagall was just trying to see if they still remembered everything she'd taught them in the past because this exercise was far too simple for the seventh year, but still, he found that he actually couldn't remember how to Transfigure his bag into a cat. 

He opened his old copy of _Intermediate Transfiguration _and started reviewing, when something among the pile of old school equipments scattered on his table caught his eye. It was a roll of parchment with a red ribbon tied around it, bearing the Gryffindor seal—only it was a lot simpler than the current seal. It must have been an _un_-revised version. Harry could tell by the brownish spots on the paper that the parchment was very much old, but from the way it was neatly rolled, he somehow knew that the parchment had never been opened before. And whatever was written inside was obviously not known to anyone just yet.

He skeptically took the roll of parchment and started untying the ribbon, but then he heard Ron let out a yelp beside him, and he turned.

What he saw was by far the weirdest creature he'd seen in Transfiguration. Perched atop Ron's desk, was a cat about three feet tall, with bag straps as whiskers, eyes the size and shape of pockets, and a large mouth with a set of zipper-like fangs. It was baring its teeth and wagging its long leather tail, stretching its leather-clawed paw angrily towards Ron. But, considering it had a round furred body as large as a Quaffle, _no_ legs or anything whatsoever and only _one_ paw, it couldn't reach Ron as he tried to lean further and further back into his chair. "Harry!" He called.

"_Reducio_!" Harry yelled, and the cat-like thing shrunk the size of a spider. 

Ron blew out a breath of air. "Er…I was going to do that, you know. You just—er—beat me to it." He flushed a deep shade of red and pointed his own wand smugly at the miniature cat-bag. "_Reducto_!" And it was blasted away. He grinned in spite of himself, but soon faltered when McGonagall walked towards his table, towering over him with a frown on her face.

"What in heavens do you think you're doing, Mr. Weasley?" McGonagall looked down at the floor around her and spotted the small creature. "My word…" she frowned at Ron again. "Five points from Gryffindor! You ought to take a leaf out of Mr. Longbottom's book! _He's_ already Transfigured _his_ backpack into a Siberian tiger!" And she stalked away from the two of them.

Ron glanced at Neville's table, where he was pointing his wand and shouting "_Impedimenta!" _in attempts to tame the tiger currently making minced meat out of the desk. The girls around Neville were all scrambling towards the walls away from the tiger. And to think that McGonagall was actually _pleased_.

"Nice work, Ron. You were saying about getting an A?" Harry snickered, and Ron frowned at him. "I don't see _you_ getting any nearer that A either," Ron said indignantly.

"I was getting to it," Harry replied. "But I was rudely interrupted."

"I swear that should've worked!" Ron cried out exasperatedly. "I read that spell once in _Transfiguration Today_!" 

Harry chuckled. "Guess that was a pretty _old_ and _outdated_ issue of _Transfiguration Today_, huh?" He grinned, stuffing the roll of parchment into his robe pockets and pointing his wand at the bag again. For some reason, something inside him was telling him not to let Ron know about the parchment just yet. He'll just have to feed his curiosity at a later time. 

***

Malfoy leaned against the wall near the entrance inside the study later that morning, crossing his arms against his chest. He was late for thirty minutes in Potions a while ago, and he got twenty points from Slytherin, but still he was thankful that he didn't get detention, and that Snape didn't ask any questions at all.

_I wonder what McGonagall did…_he mused, and looked up when he heard Hermione's voice say the password outside and then step in. He left the wall and greeted her with a small kiss.

"So, how did it go? McGonagall too hard on you?" he asked her, as they both walked towards the desk.

"She took forty points from me. _Forty points!_ I was only late for twenty minutes! I figured she was mad at Ron about something when I came in. Honestly," she complained crossly. "I sure hope Snape gave you what _you_ deserved."

He grinned. "Snape took twenty points for being thirty minutes late."

"_What?_ That's totally not fair!" she cried out, dropping her books onto the desk and taking a seat.

Malfoy shrugged. "What can I say? He favors me," he grinned, sitting beside her.

"Kiss-up," she accused and punched his shoulder playfully.

"Watch it! My body still hurts."

They laughed and started getting down to business. Hermione was thankful that Malfoy was a whole lot more cooperative and serious now, and she wondered whether it was because of what had happened between them last night, or if his father had anything to do with it. Which reminded her that she didn't really know what had happened to Malfoy yet.

A few minutes after McGonagall had checked up on them, she rested her chin on her hand and took a glimpse of him beside her. Her heart skipped a beat as she watched him turn the pages, then bite his lip thoughtfully, tapping the quill against his book. She couldn't believe that the same person, the one and only Draco Malfoy, had actually slept naked on the floor with her last night. She swallowed as she got all tingly just thinking about the hot intimacy they'd shared.

Malfoy turned another page and caught her gazing at him, and he cocked his eyebrows at her, grinning. "Can't get enough of my incredibly good looks?"

Hermione laughed and threw her quill at him. He ducked and put down his quill as well. He reached for her hand and rubbed his fingers on her skin. "What are you thinking?" he whispered.

"A lot of things," she replied. "I'm thinking about you and how gorgeous you are…I'm thinking about us and how much things have changed between us…I'm thinking about Harry and Ron and Ginny and everyone else, who'd all have different reactions if they knew what had happened…I'm thinking about my parents and _your_ parents and about where this would all lead us…"

Malfoy's eyes softened as he listened to her thoughts, and he raised her hand and kissed it.

She smiled and continued. "I'm thinking about the future and how you and I will turn out to be…I'm thinking about that perfect body of yours and how much I'd like to have you naked in bed with me right now," she winked teasingly at him and leaned closer. "And most of all, I'm thinking about what on earth you ever did to deserve the suffering you'd just experienced when you walked into this study last night…"

He looked down at her last words, and she reached out to cup his cheek in her other hand. "Draco…what happened to you last night…?"

He looked at her and she once again saw the agony in his eyes. It was clearly reflected even in his voice. "My father. He…made sure I would never fail anything again."

Tears filled Hermione's eyes as she completely understood between the lines of what he said. She pulled him close and hugged him tight, and neither of them said anything else for the remainder of the session.

***

_I couldn't tell anyone. I felt the urge to say what I had been seeing for the past nights, but I couldn't. I had tried to put them all together…and figure out the meaning myself, but nothing made sense at all. I still couldn't understand them. I knew that the Dark Lord Voldemort was behind all this; I knew that this concerned him. But nothing odd was happening at Hogwarts just yet. Everything was normal…everything was fine—until that day._


	10. When the Heart is Weak

**PART NINE**

**_When the Heart is Weak_**

Everything pretty much turned upside-down. Hermione would always have her mind occupied with thoughts of Malfoy, and Malfoy wouldn't care about anything else but to anticipate the next time he'd be able to touch her again. During History of Magic's morning sessions, they would study together seriously, once in a while sharing sweet nothings and touching each other. In the evenings, it would still be the same, but this time they would be more affectionate with each other and there would be less studying. They would always spend the night there and Hermione would tell her friends the next day that she had something to work on in the library, some important "Head Girl stuff". Luckily, Harry was nowadays too busy spending time with Cho to realize it was weird, and Ron was just too happy-go-lucky to care. They never did make love again, because Hermione didn't want to for some reason, and Malfoy respected that. But they would spend every night, cuddled in each other's arms, touching in all places and talking until the morning. Malfoy, though, never even thought twice about neglecting his studies despite all this, and to help him study, Hermione had found an effective way to "encourage" him.

"Okay," Hermione shifted in her seat across from him one night. "When did Granola the Great defeat the banshees in the civil war?"

Malfoy sighed. "How am I supposed to remember something that happened so long ago?"

"Oh, you don't know the answer? That's really too bad…" Hermione ran her hand slowly through her own belly and up the valley of her breasts, then started removing the buttons on her robes. "And I thought we could finish early tonight…"

Malfoy didn't say anything for a while, as he stared at the way Hermione slowly and so…seductively relieved herself of her robes.

"Whew," Hermione breathed, tossing her robes on the floor and slowly popping her buttons open. "It really is getting hot in here, don't you think?" She watched as a smile spread across Malfoy's lips. She could see the intentions in his eyes. She smiled to herself and removed her blouse as well. She closed her eyes and moaned as she ran her hands over her own body. "So…hot…"

Instantly, Malfoy pushed back his chair and made a move towards her, but she held up her hand to stop him. "Hang on," she grinned when he frowned. "If you really want this…" she stood up from her chair and laid herself down on the couch. "…tell me when Granola won the war."

He sighed again in frustration and threw his hands up in the air. "Okay! Okay!" He paused to think and there was silence for a while. "In…1562?"

Hermione smiled and tugged on her shorts, kicking it off her legs. "Now, what kind of army did Granola use back then…?"

"Aw, c'mon Hermione! That's not part of the deal!" Malfoy complained.

She shrugged. "Sorry; no answer, no skin." And she reached out to pick up her clothes on the floor.

"Wait, wait! I've got it," he clapped his hand to his forehead, and she grinned. Then he snapped his fingers. "Werewolves. Granola used werewolves."

"Uh-huh…and were the village people affected in any way at all…?" She lowered her eyelids flirtatiously and sucked on her finger. Then she slowly traced wet circles on the mound of her left breast.

Malfoy swallowed heavily and unknowingly licked his lips, his eyes glued to her finger. "Er…no…no, they weren't. A Memory Charm was cast on them after the war."

Hermione smiled mischievously. "Good," she batted her eyelashes, then rolled on her back. "Now…can you unclasp my bra for me…? I can't seem to reach it…"

Malfoy grinned, finally getting his reward. "As you wish."

They both never did show any deep affection for each other. They merely acted as friends who were infatuated, and who were driven by their raging hormones' appetite for flesh. At school during the day, though, they acted as though nothing happened between them. But this time, Malfoy never initiated any insults when it came to Hermione. Sure, he still wouldn't let Harry and Ron hear the end of it, but when it was Hermione he was faced with, he'd simply nod in agreement to the other Slytherins' insults, or just sneer or laugh with them. Hermione found this very amusing, and considered that perhaps, Malfoy truly did consider them as friends.

But it was Hermione who would soon realize that she wanted more than that.

"What are you doing?" Malfoy hissed at her, his eyes darting back and forth around him as the two of them quietly and quickly sped down the halls one evening after hours. They paused to catch their breath and to hide from a roaming Nearly Headless Nick around a deserted corner, and Hermione simply said, "Just trust me!" with a naughty gleam in her eyes.

Malfoy was just about to say something else when she grabbed his arm again and started pulling him along with her, as she continued to run towards who-knows-where. He shook his head in an amused way, realizing that this "Head Girl" was actually leading him somewhere, most probably out-of-bounds, at this prohibited hour of the night. He was finding it hard to run fast in his Quidditch robes, protection padding and all, but he finally gave up trying to struggle, and allowed himself to be dragged away.

Finally they reached a statue of Boris the Bewildered, and Malfoy realized that they were on the fifth floor. Hermione located the fourth door to the left of the statue, and he watched as she leaned close to the door and muttered, "Pine-fresh." 

Hermione quickly pulled him inside and locked the door behind her. She grinned at him. "Welcome to the Prefects' bathroom."

"Ooookaaay…" Malfoy looked around, admiring the magnificence of it all. "Now I know why you prefects are all so filthy clean and neat all the time."

She laughed and shoved him lightly, then pulled him towards the center of the bathroom, near the edge of the pool-sized bath, which he could tell she'd prepared earlier that day. She paused and stood in front of him, his back to the water. "Are you wondering why we're here?" she whispered.

He scrunched up his face and pretended to rub his chin. "Hmmm…well, I was actually wondering what kind of dorky pajamas Potter wears, but now that you mentioned it, yes, I am wondering why we're here," he joked sarcastically.

She giggled and stepped closer to him, running her fingers on his cheek. "Ah, the famous Malfoy wit," she smiled. "We're here because…" She leaned in close to his ear, and whispered, "…you're going to take a bath."

Malfoy's eyes widened and he almost burst out laughing. He stepped back a little and gestured down at his Quidditch robes. "Okay, I know I'm not exactly the squeakiest, cleanest guy in the world, but you _know_ that's not my fault. No one told you to drag me with you right after practice."

She grinned. "What can I say? I want you to bathe." She bit her lip. "With me."

He grinned as well and shook his head. He stepped towards her again and placed his hands on her waist. "You know Granger, sometimes you just have the wackiest ideas." He leaned in and kissed her. "Wacky…but definitely good."

"Mmm-hmmm," she approved as he kissed her again. "That's why you sleep with me in the first place," she whispered, and they started kissing more deeply, tasting each other's depths insatiably. She moaned into him, beginning to run out of breath, as he groped for the clasp of her robes. Her hand reached up to pull his head closer towards her, and they deepened the kiss even more despite the lack of air.

She groaned again as she felt him hastily pull off half of her robes, but a sudden 'splish' made her shriek and push him back forcefully. _Too_ forcefully.

She gasped as Malfoy came splashing down into the water and almost jumped in with him, had not something translucent slid out of a tap and swept in front of her.

She cried out in shock again, but soon realized who it was.

"Myrtle! Wha-what are you…what are you doing here at this time of the night?" she stuttered, panting from the kiss.

Moaning Myrtle floated above her and then swept quickly across the room, stopping back in front of her. "_I_ can come here anytime I want. _You,_ on the other hand, aren't supposed to. You know, you're just like your friend Harry. Always sneaking out at places and times that he shouldn't be…"

Hermione gulped and desperately tried to straighten her disheveled robes before Myrtle got suspicious. "Well…I…I was too busy during the day to take a bath, so…now's the only free time I have."

"Hmph! Rubbish! What an excuse. I bet you're out here to figure out some clue again. That was exactly what Harry was doing that night I caught him here a few years back. And then…he never came to see me again…" Myrtle's frown slowly changed from irritation to self-pity. Hermione swallowed. She definitely sensed a major wailing coming. 

"Er…listen, Myrtle; Harry's been really busy these past few years…what with You-Know-Who back in power…" she soothed, but these words didn't seem to affect Myrtle's growing tear-brimming. Hermione quickly racked her brain to prevent Myrtle from bursting into tears, which would definitely make Filch hear. Not to mention she had to get rid of her so she could spend time alone with Malfoy—who, by the way, was hiding underwater and was most probably already running out of breath. All of a sudden she had a brainstorm.

"C'mon, Myrtle; why don't you head down to the Quidditch shower rooms? Quidditch practice just ended, and maybe Harry's still in there," she lied.

Myrtle's face suddenly lit up. "You think so?"

"I'm positive. And while you're at it, give him a piece of your mind and show him what it's like to be forgotten," she went on. _Oh Harry, I'm so sorry…_

"Hmmm…maybe I will." And with that, Myrtle immediately sped back into the tap she came from.

Malfoy instantly emerged from underwater, panting, the moment Myrtle had gone. His face was all red from holding his breath. "Damn it! Why the hell can't that bloody ghost just stay put in her haunt?"

Hermione sighed and sat down on the edge of the bath near him, her feet dangling in the water. "I'm so sorry, Draco…Myrtle really is a pain."

He frowned. "Wonderful. _Now_ how will we know when she'll come floating back in here?"

She smiled and took out her wand, waving around the taps and locking them closed. "I don't think she'll be disturbing us for a while. Besides, I've sent her on a mission she'll definitely not want to miss."

Malfoy rolled his eyes. "I guess she fancies Saint Potter just like everyone else. What _is_ it with that bloke?"

"Draco…maybe you should give him a chance…he's a really great guy when you get right down to it—"

"The only thing that's so great about him is that he's got an incredibly hot friend like you." He moved towards her and started stroking her submerged legs. "And the dork is too blind not to see that after all these years, you've been right beside him. That guy's nutters, I tell you. And he actually chose that ruddy Ravenclaw Seeker over you. Can anyone _possibly_ get any denser?" 

She giggled. "Aw, come off it." She kicked some water towards him.

He grinned. "Are you sure that ghoul isn't coming back?" He planted a kiss on her right knee. "'Coz I'd like to spend some 'quality' time with you, if you know what I mean."

"Oh, she's not coming back. She won't be able to pass through the taps anymore. Me and my _brilliant_ enchantments," she pointed towards the locked taps and grinned.

"Okay then," Malfoy slowly slid his hands up her legs, caressing her inner thighs gingerly. Hermione found herself closing her eyes in anticipation. His hands finally slid under her clothes and traced the outline of her panties. Hermione, feeling more aroused than ever, bit her lip as he tugged at her underwear and removed them for her.

She swallowed heavily as she felt his hands moving dangerously higher…and she unknowingly spread her legs in eagerness—

--until he grinned and suddenly pulled her down the water with him.

She shrieked in surprise as she came splashing down, Malfoy laughing beside her. She started laughing as well, shoving him. "Are you _crazy_? You shouldn't have done that! Filch could have heard me screaming you know!"

Malfoy held up his hands, still chuckling. "Okay! Okay! I'm sorry. You just looked so…cute. That's all," he paused to eye her up and down, her wet hair all over her face and her drenched clothes sticking to her body, outlining every curve, especially her breasts beneath her bra. He swallowed, staring at her aroused nipples against her black Hogwarts robes. "And now that you're all wet…you look—even cuter," he continued, blushing.

Hermione blushed as well, realizing what he meant. "Er—"

Malfoy cut her off and pulled her to him, kissing her hungrily. His hands moved down her body and under her robes again, finally sliding his finger up into her and giving her what she wanted. She broke from the kiss and groaned aloud, leaning her head back in pleasure. Malfoy continued teasing her with his fingers for a while, finding her moans extremely…erotic. He then leaned close to her ear. "Not worried about Filch hearing you _now_, are you?" He taunted, finally withdrawing his finger. Hermione gave him a dazed smile. 

"You know what…?" she whispered seductively, running her hands over his chest.

Malfoy grinned. "What?"

Hermione gave him a light peck on the lips, as she teasingly kissed her way to his ear. "You _really_ need a bath."

They both laughed and broke free as Malfoy started removing his own clothes. "Fine, I will. Now pass me the soap, if that's what you want."

Hermione grinned, digging into her soaking robes for her wand. "_Accio soap_," she pointed to the shelves across the room, and two bars of soap came zooming into her open hands. She tossed one to Malfoy, who was now completely naked. She licked her lips temptingly and raised her eyebrows at him. "Nice…" she commented.

Malfoy rolled his eyes. "Take your clothes off, will you?"

Hermione placed a finger on her lip, pretending to think. "Well…I think I'd rather have _you_ take them off for me," she said with a playful wink.

"Fine with me," Malfoy said eagerly, kissing her again and ripping her clothes off in the process. They kissed until Hermione could feel her lips getting swollen from all the action, but still she didn't stop until she could feel her bare skin on his.

A few moments after they were both naked, they broke the kiss and he gazed lovingly at her face. "You know, I really like your hair better that way."

Hermione laughed and tugged at a few strands of her straight, wet hair sticking to her neck. "Sorry, but I don't really comb my hair much when it's already dry. That basically gives the bushy look."

He grinned. "You should try to keep brushing it down in strokes while it's still wet."

"Who are you, my hair stylist?" she grinned as well. "For your information, I'm not really a big fan of your slicked-back 'do, either."

"Can I help it if my parents hate it when my bangs are all over my forehead?" He ran his hand through his wet hair, pushing himself away from her. "They actually want me to get the military cut. Talk about major humiliation."

She cocked her eyebrow. "Why don't you give it a try, then?"

"What, and trade the long bangs I tried so hard to grow? Forget it!"

She giggled at that. "I can _not_ believe that _the_ Draco Malfoy actually fusses over his hairstyle just like a girl!"

Malfoy just shrugged and started scrubbing himself with the soap she'd handed him. Hermione watched him silently, not believing that she could be any happier with him right now. It just felt so…normal…so perfect to be with him. She felt like they'd been the best of friends for years. She'd never wanted anything else these past few days but to be with him…and just being with him made her feel like she was in heaven no matter how awful her day had been. They didn't need to be kissing or hugging or sharing sweet nothings…they didn't even need to be talking. Just his mere presence made her feel safe…contented…happy…at peace.

Her feelings were changing. And it was beginning to scare her.

He turned and saw her gazing at him, and he flashed a goofy grin, something that definitely looked _way_ awkward and different from his usual smirks. She had to admit; it didn't suit him very much, but she liked it, anyway. Hermione chuckled at his silliness, shoving a handful of water at him. How she loved the way he smiled…the way he moved…the way he talked…the way his voice sounded whenever he whispered lovingly to her…how she loved everything about him…

How she loved…him…

Hermione felt like her heart was being squeezed all the way the moment the thought entered her mind, like there was something that she desperately needed to say and desperately needed to know, but couldn't. And once again, the feeling she'd felt when they'd first kissed came flooding back into her.

_Love…Draco…?_

All of a sudden she felt like there was something more to their kisses…that there was something more to what they were doing…something more to the blissful nights they always spent and the intimate moments they always shared…she felt like there was something more to her thing with Draco Malfoy all this time…

He wasn't just some fling or some pastime she enjoyed whenever she needed him.

He was starting to capture a big part of her life…

…and her heart.

Okay. First off, I'M SOOOO SORRRYYY!!!!!!!!! Sorry for taking _ages_ to upload…school has been crazy lately even though it's only the start of the school year…not to mention my brother keeps hogging the computer to himself all the time (oh, the horror) so pleeeeease forgive me for being an intolerable slowpoke. I hope I didn't make you guys wait too long…but nevertheless, I'm really grateful that you guys stuck around and gave me all your comments:D I really appreciate it:D I've been getting a lot of reviews about the rated R thing…thank you so much for letting me know what you think. I kind of agree with those who said I was being a little bit too cautious, and that I should go see other fics that have R ratings too so that I can compare my work:D I'd love to do that, but like I said, I can't use the computer much nowadays, now's the only time I can, actually. So I probably won't be able to read much of other people's work, unfortunately L But I promise I will try to squeeze in and kick my brother off the computer chair if I have to just to be able to read more R rated fics:D I'll try to be a little bit more explicit next time, for all those who thought that the steamy scenes were kind of unsatisfactory hehehe!:D I'm really, really sorry guys! Thank you soooooooo very much for all the praises, they really do keep me going despite the heavy school load:D I'll do my best to live up to your expectations, okay?:D Thanks again and please keep R&R-ing!:D


	11. Facing Realities

**PART TEN**

**_Facing Realities_**

****

****

_I saw a sign that day. A sign of everything that was about to happen at Hogwarts, and in my life. A sign of things to come, of things that I, and the people around me, should be wary of. A sign of the tragedy I was about to get myself into. It came to me in the most unusual manner…it was a warning. And yet I paid it no heed. Still I kept it to myself, afraid that whomever I confide it to might find me peculiar and not believe me. I could not even tell it to the people whom I trust the most. And perhaps it was the biggest mistake I had ever made. It was the perfect blunder. And I had fallen for it._

***

"Hello? Hel-_lo­_! Hermione? Are you listening to me?" Ron waved a hand in front of Hermione's face the next day and frowned when he got no response. He looked at Harry and cocked his eyebrow. "What's gotten into _her_?"

"Huh? What? Where?" Harry's head rose from his desk and he looked around sleepily, yawning. "Ow! What's eating you?" He pouted and rubbed his side where Ron had poked him.

"Hermione! I've been asking her to explain whatever bloody hell it is that Professor Binns is saying, but she hasn't said a word to me all period! Don't you think you should actually wake up and notice that?" Ron argued.

"C'mon, Ron. She's always that way during Binns' class. Get used to it will you?" Harry yawned again and started going back to sleep.

Ron grabbed his forearm and yanked him awake. "Harry, listen to me. Hermione actually nods or shakes her head or yawns or whatever during History of Magic. But right now all she's doing is helping the plants by converting oxygen into carbon dioxide. She's actually sitting there like she's Petrified or something! I can't believe that our friend's turning into stone and all you can do is yawn and go back to sleep. And I thought _I_ was too sleepy to care."

Harry jerked his arm away. "Ron, she's probably just stressed out again, what with being Head Girl and all," he assumed, but sighed when he saw the look of pure disbelief on Ron's face. "Look, we'll ask her what's up at lunch, when she's all relaxed already, okay? It's not going to be a big deal." He shifted in his seat. "Now get off my case, will you? I have a beauty sleep to continue."

Ron sighed and leaned back into his seat, as he watched Harry snooze back in his own seat beside him. He glanced at Hermione again and shook his head, seeing that she still looked like she'd seen a basilisk.

Whatever was up with her, he sure hoped Harry was right.

Meanwhile, two floors and several rooms away, a really troubled Hermione (therefore projecting a really troubled Dummy in Binns' class) was flipping absently through the pages of the book she was holding, her eyebrows knit together and her lips wearing a tired frown. She didn't even bother to look up and watch Professor McGonagall leave the study, as she snuggled against the pillows on the couch she was lying on.

As soon as the entrance shut tight, Malfoy immediately dropped his quill and joined Hermione on the couch, wrapping his arms around her and making her lose hold of her book.

"Ready to take a break?" he whispered breathily into her ear.

"Draco, I'm not really in the mood right now," she said forcefully, squirming out of his embrace and trying to reach back for her book.

"What, too intent on the book you're reading?" Malfoy ran his hand through his now un-gelled hair slyly, snatching the book out of her hands once she got hold of it. He flipped through the pages and smirked. "Or should I say, _staring at_?"

"Draco," she whined impatiently, grabbing the book back. She shuffled towards the other end of the small couch, but he pulled her back against him.

"Hermione, there's nothing written in your so-called book. The pages are empty, okay? So what's there to read?" He wrapped his arms around her waist, her back to him.

She frowned and tried to pry his hands off her. "It's nothing to you, okay? So please."

But he paid no attention to her, or to her struggles. Instead he tightened his hold on her and started kissing her nape.

"Draco, quit it…listen to me," she pleaded as he nibbled her earlobe. "Wait…wait…stop—" but he continued to kiss his way down her neck, and onto her shoulders. "Draco, stop. Stop it!" she demanded, and he loosened his hold. As soon as he did, she immediately pushed herself away from him and jerked up the sleeve on her exposed shoulder. "Damn it, Draco; how many times do I have to tell you that I'm _not_ in the mood?" She glared at him irritably, but soon saw that he didn't look the least bit annoyed with her as well. In fact, he looked like he actually understood how she was feeling.

Her eyes softened and she sighed at the look in his eyes. "Look, it's not you, okay? I just…" she trailed off, realizing that she had just hurt him with what she'd done. She immediately stood up and gathered all her belongings. "I'm sorry…" she mumbled, and hastily left the room without looking back at him.

She broke into a run the moment she got outside. She clutched her books tighter to her chest and bowed down, as she felt a tingling sensation in her eyes. She ran even faster when she passed her History of Magic classroom, where students were currently spilling out of the room to head for their next class.

She ignored the students' worried looks and headed straight to the Gryffindor Tower, thankful that Harry and Ron hadn't seen her.  _I'm sorry Harry…Ron…Professor Lupin…I can't go to Defense Against the Dark Arts right now…_ and she slammed the door shut behind her the moment she reached her room. She bewitched the door with a locking spell and was grateful that she was given her own room as a Head Girl privilege. She didn't really need a roommate to burst in on her right now.

She tossed her books on the floor and slid down onto her bed, burying her face into the pillows to muffle the sound of her fast approaching sobs. What in the world was wrong with her? Malfoy had been all sweet and romantic around her…and she'd snapped angrily at him in return. It was all because there was something bothering her mind at the moment, and it wasn't even his fault. So _why_ had she included him in this? _Why_ couldn't she just keep it to herself and keep from hurting him?

_It's because you can't get it off your mind. It's all you've been thinking of since last night._

_You can't help what you're feeling._

_You feel something else for him, and you know it._

_You may not want to admit it, but you're falling._

_You're falling in love with him._

She clenched her fists and gritted her teeth. That was it. That was what she'd been obsessing about all this time. She was slowly starting to fall for him.

She couldn't understand. At first she was attracted to him all of a sudden. And then she'd started to care so much about him. Then it all turned to sex and lust and the desire for pleasure…but now it all didn't matter anymore. It didn't matter if she never got to touch him and feel him…it didn't matter if he never got to give her any pleasure…and heck, it didn't even matter if he was with someone else as long as he was happy…

What the hell was she feeling? Was she truly falling for him? After all they'd been through…was it really worth risking everything, denying everything, going against all odds, and defying everything…just so she could love him? Did it really matter to her that he probably slept with her only because he felt like it? Or only because he simply wanted to use her as his relief from the world? Did it really matter to her that he probably would never love her back…?

Didn't she care that if she really did love him, she'd be spending the rest of her life pouring her heart to someone whose only interest in her is her flesh? Didn't she care that her love would remain unrequited without end?

_No, I don't…_

She closed her eyes and swallowed, trying to understand her heart's answer to herself.

_I don't care…_

_It doesn't matter if he doesn't love me back…if his heart belongs to someone else…if he's just using me…if he doesn't see me the way I see him…if he doesn't feel the same way I do…or if he never realizes how much I really have grown to love him…_

_I just want to see him happy, even if that happiness is not with me…_

_Because I really do love him…and that's all that matters._

And she broke down hopelessly, crying to her crestfallen heart's content, finally accepting her true feelings.

Even if she knew that things were never going to be alright again if she did.

***

Hermione awoke a few hours later by the sound of laughter coming through from outside the window of her room. She opened her eyes groggily and flung her hands over them, trying to block the light. Her stomach grumbled, and she realized that she'd missed lunch. And from the way her eyes were swelling, she must've cried herself to sleep.

She was in trouble. She'd never missed any of her classes before for no particular reason. She'd never lied to Harry and Ron or avoided them either. And now, just because of her own personal reasons, she had to break the rules and skip class, not to mention she'd have to think up another lame explanation for Harry and Ron.

She was tired of lying. She was tired of keeping this…_thing_ with Malfoy to herself. Keeping secrets from her two best friends were never her style; it never made her feel good at all. She hated having to lie to them. She hated having to deceive them. She hated having to avoid any questions that might bring Malfoy and her in the same sentence. She wanted to let it all out. She wanted them to know.

But she couldn't. She knew that they wouldn't understand her. They'd overreact about all this, especially since Malfoy was their worst enemy. And considering that they were guys, they'd never understand the way she felt about Malfoy, or the reason why she felt like she was falling in love with him. Not to mention that she could _never_ muster enough guts to narrate the details of what she and Malfoy were sneaking out to do every night. No doubt Ron would want to hear it, and it was definitely too embarrassing. Having two guys as best friends truly did have its disadvantages.

Yet still, for some reason, she felt like they had to know. They just had to.

Another burst of laughter from the windows jerked Hermione to her senses, and she forcibly dragged herself up from her bed. She peered out the window, wondering where the laughter was coming from.

She blinked as she saw an improvised Snitch zoom across the sky in front of the window of her room, and then a black robe speed towards it. The black blur stopped in mid-air, having caught the "Snitch", and Hermione realized that it was Harry on his Firebolt. Harry was smiling, and Hermione actually thought that he was smiling at her, but then another black blur sped towards him and stopped, and Hermione saw that it was Cho on _her_ broomstick. Cho leaned close to Harry and whispered something in his ear, making the two of them laugh and then speed away again, racing each other on who got to catch the "Snitch" first.

Oddly enough, Hermione found herself frowning. She knew it was still lunch break even though all the students were through eating, and Harry and Cho were obviously given permission to practice, considering Harry's upcoming match tomorrow. But she found it disturbing that they were practicing _alone together_. And no, they didn't even look like they were practicing. They were _flirting_. And she didn't like that one bit.

Wait a minute, what in the world was she thinking? Cho was Harry's _girlfriend_. There was nothing wrong with what they were doing. She, being one of Harry's best friends, should understand that. So why was she feeling this way? Was she…jealous? Jealous that Harry couldn't even spend the rest of his lunch break trying to find out why Hermione had missed Defense Against the Dark Arts _and_ lunch? Jealous that Harry hadn't even bothered to check up on her, like he usually did whenever he felt there was something wrong?

She shook her head. No…she shouldn't be feeling this way. Things were different now. They've all grown. They weren't the kids who ran around school together all the time to snoop around about things they shouldn't be snooping around about. Things have changed. Harry had a girlfriend now. He had a right to spend as much time with Cho, and as less time with her and Ron. She ought to learn to cope with that change.

Then it hit her. Wasn't this what she was doing as well? She was always lying and sneaking out just so she could spend time with Malfoy at night, and worse, keep it all a secret. Harry, at least, had told the two of them about Cho. Hermione, on the other hand, had kept Malfoy and her a secret. And wouldn't Harry and Ron feel bad about all this once they found out? Wouldn't they feel jealous as well? Wouldn't they feel bad that she'd kept all this from them? Wouldn't they feel everything she was feeling about Harry right now, and maybe even worse?

And that was when she decided that she couldn't possibly tell them. Not when she'd started it as a secret. She should've told them from the start. She could never tell them now…so how can she possible quench the urge in her to tell someone about all this? To confide…to ask for some advice…to help her through what she was feeling…?

She sighed and straightened her robes, heading out her door. She'd just have to apologize to Professor Lupin, and hope that he would understand.

She carefully climbed down the stairs from the dormitory, relieved to see that the common room was empty. Relieved, yet somehow disappointed. She was subconsciously hoping the Ron would be sitting on one of the couches, waiting to check up on her somehow. But he was probably out with Seamus and Dean, off to do some pranks again. She approached one of the tables near the fireplace in hopes of finding some spare quill and parchment to write a formal apology to Lupin, but instead, she found a small, bit worn-out notebook, with Ron's name written on the front.

Curiously, Hermione picked it up. In all the time she'd known Ron, she'd never seen this notebook before, and yet it looked like it had belonged to him for a while now. Wondering what was inside, she sat down on one of the couches and flipped the notebook open.

It was Ron's journal. No wonder she hadn't seen this before. How could he leave something this private lying around? Each page was neatly labeled with the date he'd written on it, and some even had clippings of things he'd specify in his entries. Once again, Hermione saw the Daily Prophet cutout many years ago, where Ron and his family had gone to Egypt and were all smiling and waving at the camera. Hermione smiled. She never knew Ron kept a journal. For a while she wondered when he could've found the time to write in it.

She started to close the notebook, knowing she shouldn't even be holding it in the first place, but something among Ron's writing caught her eye. On one of the pages was inserted a rose petal, and Hermione couldn't help but read the lines written beside it:

"It was one of those days again. She was merely talking to us all, and as I stared at the way she spoke to us, I found the urge within me again. I found the urge to tell her that simply the way she moved made my breath get caught in my throat. I wanted to let her know that everything I feel about her has changed, and grown over the years. I wanted to tell her. But I couldn't. I could never confess how I truly feel. She would treat me differently for sure, and I'd lose the excuse for me to be with her. Because to her I'm just the faithful sidekick, the funny friend, the icebreaker when things got too boring. I'm just the klutzy scaredy-cat who made everybody laugh. She never saw the Ron behind the jokes. She never saw how much I've matured, and that I'm not the kid who was so happy-go-lucky that he wouldn't recognize a serious situation if it hit him right in the face. She never saw that I've changed, and she still regards me as the class clown. She never saw me seriously that way; no one ever did. And that is why I can never tell her. Which is probably why I am doomed to merely wait…not for the day that she would recognize the inner me for who I really am, because that would never happen, but for the day that I can finally tuck my feelings away and merely try to keep her in memory…to move on…without her. But I fear that day won't come until a long, long time."

Hermione immediately flipped the journal shut the moment she heard the portrait door swing open. She anxiously looked up to see whom it was, her heart pounding with sadness, shock, and realization with what she'd just read. And true enough, it was Ron in the doorway.

She swallowed heavily, staring at him. Ron was still the same…he still looked as cheerful as ever. It didn't seem like he was truly feeling what he had written in his journal. It didn't even seem like it was his. He didn't seem capable of writing such deep, sad thoughts…was this what was really beneath Ron's easygoing façade? She'd known Ron for years…and yet she never took the time to truly _know_ him…to truly understand him. What kind of a best friend was she?

And more importantly, who was the girl that Ron was crushing on?

Ron cocked his eyebrow at her in a weird way. "Hermione, have you gone mad? You're looking at me like I'm You-Know-Who." Then he snapped his fingers. "Hang on, I don't have Bubotuber Pus all over my face now, do I? I told Seamus to watch it with that thing!"

Hermione smiled in spite of herself. Ron really hadn't changed…and she was glad. She swore to herself that she'd take him more seriously from now on. "Er—no, Ron, you haven't got Bubotuber Pus on your face. I was just…tired. Yeah…that's all." And she quickly hid the notebook behind her.

Luckily, Ron was too busy peering at her face. "Tired? What happened to you? We missed you at Lupin's class and at lunch." He walked over to the couch and sat beside her. "You didn't have another Head Girl duty, did you?"

"Er—yeah, that's it! I…I did have another duty. It was…awfully, really. They had to make me miss Lupin's class," Hermione stuttered nervously.

"And a bloody good class you missed! Lupin taught us a whole bunch of new hexes! He's gotten all these Dark creatures running around and we had to protect ourselves using the new spells we learned," Ron said excitedly, staring into space as if he could still see what they'd done in class. "Now I know what to do the next time Malfoy comes up to our table."

Hermione's stomach immediately performed a huge flip-flop at the mention of Malfoy's name. All of a sudden she didn't feel like talking anymore. "Listen Ron, I reckon I'm having another stroke of dizziness. I'm…going back to bed, okay? I'll catch you and Harry at Herbology."

Ron looked skeptically at her. "Alright; just try and get well before you enter Sprout's class. We're doing Marcopas today, and you'll need all the energy you can get." And Ron waved, standing up to head back out the portrait. "Oh, and Hermione?"

She looked up. "Yes?"

"I like your new hairdo," Ron pointed at her straight locks and winked, before climbing out of the portrait hole.

She sighed and started to head back up the staircase to her room again, shaking her head at Ron's last remark. She had taken Malfoy's advice about her hair just like Malfoy had taken hers; too bad she wouldn't be able to enjoy Malfoy's new hairstyle right now because she couldn't find the guts to face him. 

She took Ron's notebook with her to prevent anyone else from coming across it again like she had. What could _possibly_ be any worse? She had planned on telling Harry, but she knew he was too busy with Cho nowadays. She'd planned on telling Ron, but now that she'd read Ron's journal, she realized that Ron was probably having an even bigger inner struggle than she was, not to mention that nobody really understood Ron from within and thus he couldn't tell anyone about his problems either. She didn't want to burden Ron any more with her own problems. And she definitely couldn't tell any of the professors. No explanations needed for _that_.

What she needed right now was Malfoy himself. She needed to feel his arms around her, comforting her…protecting her…driving all her troubles away. Malfoy had always been her console, and he was the one who listened to her dilemmas and helped her through them these days. But now that _he_ was the problem, she felt she had no one to turn to anymore. She couldn't even tell just anyone about it because it was weird, first of all, for Malfoy and her to get together and—

"Ow!" Hermione backtracked on the stairs and Ron's notebook fell from her grasp.

"Hermione! I didn't see you! I'm so sorry…here—let me help you with that—" Ginny bent down and picked up Ron's notebook on the steps.

Hermione didn't say anything, as she looked up at Ginny. All of a sudden she felt like Ginny had this…golden aura around her. That was it! The solution to all her problems. Ginny was right there, plus she knew Ginny would be able to understand what she was feeling. Ginny was sixteen; she was definitely old enough to understand. And since she was a girl, it would make things so much easier. Hermione smiled. Now she was seeing Ginny in a whole new light.

"Er—Hermione…? Hello?" Ginny handed over Ron's notebook, looking suspiciously at her.

Hermione grinned. "No, it's Ron's. I found it in the common room. Return it to him, will you?" She cleared her throat as Ginny nodded. "Ginny, you're not doing anything right now by any chance, are you?"

"No," Ginny replied. "Actually I was just about to—"

"Great. There's something I desperately need to tell you." And Hermione dragged her up the stairs and pulled her into her room, locking the door behind her. She sat down on the edge of her bed.

"Wow, this room's a nice privilege you've got. Now I know why everyone wants to be Head Girl," Ginny grinned, looking around the spacious room and at the huge bed Hermione was sitting on.

"Well…yeah…but that's not what I need to talk to you about," Hermione looked down and started twiddling her thumbs.

Ginny smiled at her and sat down beside her. "Okay, what's the big secret? You look pretty tensed. So spill."

Hermione licked her lips. "Here's the thing. I kind of…like somebody. A-a guy, I mean."

"Really?" Ginny shifted in her position and looked excitedly at her. "Who is it? No, wait—let me guess. It's Harry, isn't it?"

"No!" Hermione looked shocked. "Harry's got a _girlfriend_, Ginny."

"Drats," Ginny snapped her fingers. "I was hoping it was him. So then who is it? Is he a wizard or a Muggle? Does he study at Hogwarts? Is he in our House?"

Hermione swallowed. "…he's a wizard, alright…and he's pureblood. He definitely studies at Hogwarts, and he's my age…but he's not in Gryffindor."

"Hmmm, interesting…" Ginny placed her finger on her lips. "Is he rich then? It'd be an added bonus in case he _is_ rich, you know. And good-looking. He's _got to be_ good-looking and hot, if you know what I mean."

"Er—he's rich…very rich. And…let's just say that he's a heartthrob in his House…"

"Yes! This is definitely getting good. If he's got all that, then you have my vote on him," Ginny grinned.

_Don't say that just yet…_Hermione started playing with the hem of her robes nervously. "Don't be so sure."

"Oh? Well, just tell me who is it already! I'm _dying_ of curiosity," Ginny looked expectantly at her.

Hermione returned an uneasy look. "Promise that you won't totally hate me?"

Ginny cocked her eyebrow. "Why would I totally hate you? It's not like I'm crushing on anyone in here, you know."

"Okay. Here goes." Hermione took a deep breath. "It's Malfoy."

Hermione expected Ginny to react violently or to shout out in shock, but Ginny just stared at her in disbelief, her mouth hanging open. "Malfoy? _Draco_ Malfoy?"

Hermione nodded slowly, and Ginny's brows knit in confusion. "Okay; hang on just a moment. Did I hear that right? Did you just say that _you_ have a _crush_ on _the_ Draco Malfoy? The slimiest Slytherin _git_ ever?"

"He's not so bad, really, and he's not a git at all. He's actually a wonderful person once you get to know him—"

"Whoa, hold it! What exactly do you mean by 'once you get to know him'?" Ginny argued. "Are you actually saying that you _do_ know him? How? When? _Why?_"

"Well, I—" Hermione paused, debating on whether or not she should tell her about the tutoring. But the thought of Lucius Malfoy punishing Draco again if word got out about the tutoring, made her think twice about it. "I just _do_, okay? It's just that he's really great and I really like being with him—"

"You like _being with him?_ And when are you actually _being with him_?" Ginny asked in a horrified way.

Hermione swallowed. "Well…you know how I leave the common room every night after dinner and don't get back until lights out, and sometimes until the next day? Er…"

Ginny opened her mouth again in shock. "You _lied_ to us just so you could _sleep_ with him _every night_???"

"Yes—er—no," Hermione stuttered. "I'm sorry I lied…but I _don't_ sleep with him, you know…well—technically, I _do_ sleep with him…just not…you know…_that_ way."

Ginny blew out a breath of air. "Okay. Let me get this straight. You sneak off every night to be with the slimeball until the morning light, but you don't actually have sex. Is that it?"

"Yes…kind of…"

"So what _do_ you do then?"

"Er—we just—talk," Hermione stammered. "Actually no, we don't. We sort of…er…have fun with each other a bit..."

"_No,_" Ginny said, horror-struck. "You mean—he has _touched_ you???"

Hermione bit her lip.

"Tell me you're kidding!!!" Ginny exclaimed in disgust. But Hermione shook her head and reached up to pull down her collar. A very visible, evident hickey was right there on her neck.

"Hermione! How could you let him do this to you!" Ginny frowned. "He's not…hurting you, is he…?"

"No, he's not. I…like what he's doing, in fact…" Hermione admitted softly.

Ginny shook her head. "Wait a minute. Are you telling me that you spend every single night with him, fooling around, but you _don't _have sex? Why am I finding it hard to believe? Knowing that pervert, he'd jump at every opportunity to—"

"But it's true, Ginny! We don't really _do_ it; you ought to believe me! He's not like that at all!" Hermione protested.

"So you're telling me you've never done it with him."

"Yes."

"Never?"

"Yes—er—no," Hermione repeated, feeling all the blood rush into her face.

This time, Ginny did react violently. She stood up abruptly, stared at Hermione, and cried out, "YOU HAD SEX WITH DRACO MALFOY???"

"Shhh!!! Pipe down, will you??? We're not exactly on a different planet here!!!" Hermione pulled her back down, looking warily at the door. She sighed. "Yes, I did have sex with him once."

Ginny looked like she was about to cry. "Hermione, why are you doing this? Hasn't it ever crossed your mind that he might just be using you to get what he wants?"

Hermione kept silent.

Ginny sighed. "I don't care _how_ you two got to know each other, but think about it! No matter how well you think you know him, it doesn't mean that you already know what's deep inside his mind, or what's in his heart! You never know his true intentions, and you barely even know his past. Even if you did get to know him from the start of term, bear in mind that it's not even half the school year yet. He's not like Harry or Ron; you've known them practically all your life—but Malfoy's not who you might think he is! He's got an active Death Eater as a father, and everybody who's not in Slytherin hates him. Why crush on Malfoy, of all people? And _why,_ in the name of Merlin, _sleep_ with him??? I bet he's just—"

"Look, I don't know, okay???" Hermione snapped, holding up her hands feebly. "I don't know _why_ I like him, _why_ I'm attracted to him, _why_ I think he's the greatest guy in the world, or even _why the hell_ I slept with him! I don't know why the hell that's what my heart wants, and frankly, right now I don't care. Because all I can think about is him, and all I ever worry about is his condition or his grades or what he's doing when I'm away from him! I feel so damn stupid to be so damn concerned, but that's just how I feel!" 

She swallowed heavily, helpless tears beginning to form in her eyes. "I don't even know why I keep dreaming of him, but I see something in him, Ginny! He's different…he's not the obnoxious kid we all thought he was. There's a good person inside of him…and I just care about him so much that I don't even care if he's just using me or if he's got a horrible past…" she paused, and Ginny couldn't help but feel sorry for her. She reached out and gave her a hug, as she continued. "All I ever want is to be with him…that's all I ever think about…because…now I really do love him…I don't want to—hell, I don't want to—but I just do…and now I don't know what's going to happen to me…" She closed her eyes and let the tears fall. "I hate loving him, Ginny…god I hate it so much…"

Ginny gritted her teeth and hugged her tighter, not knowing what to make of what she'd just heard. She wanted to help Hermione—she desperately wanted to—but it looked like this was a battle Hermione had to fight on her own. These were her feelings, and all Ginny could probably do was support her, no matter how much she didn't want to.

She sighed. "I'm sorry, Hermione…I shouldn't have judged how you feel. Besides, this is your life, and I don't have the right to decide whom you should fall in love with or whom you should sleep with…so if…you really love him…then do so. I'll be right behind you, okay?"

Hermione looked up at her and tried to smile. "Thank you, Ginny…but…what am I supposed to do…? I can't possibly face him…and right now I don't have any idea on how to act around him…"

Ginny smiled. "If you love him then don't be afraid to let him know, even if you think he might not feel the same way. Even with his spiteful attitude and his dark past…he _does_ probably deserve to be loved, too, I guess. No matter how much of an insufferable, arrogant, conceited, self-absorbed, stuck-up, snobbish brat he is."

Hermione chuckled, and broke free from the embrace. She sniffed and wiped the tears from her eyes. "Thanks, Ginny. I know it's a horrible thing to happen…falling in love with him…but I don't really know how to _stop_ it from happening."

"Maybe…you're not supposed to. Maybe you were meant to fall in love with him even if it were against all odds. So if you love him…then love him. It'll work out if it's meant to be, right?"

"I guess…"

"But promise me one thing, though," Ginny looked at her seriously. "Promise me that you'll always think before you act, okay? Make sure that you always know what you're doing…and please, don't hurt yourself with him. If things turn nasty…don't mess with things that you don't understand. I do hope that you know what you're getting yourself into…"

"Okay, Ginny…I promise. Thank you so much; your support means a lot to me," Hermione said.

"Yeah, well; I'm still not totally a hundred percent into it—it's not like I'm his biggest fan or anything—but I guess I should give Malfoy a chance," Ginny grinned. "And don't worry; I won't tell anyone. I'm pretty sure Harry and Ron wouldn't want to hear about this, anyway."

They both giggled, and Hermione sighed. "I'm glad I got to tell you. I've been dying to let this all out…I needed someone to confide to and give me advice."

"I'm not really an expert, but I believe I can help you sort through this," Ginny said, standing up. "But right now, I reckon we should head back to our classes, don't you think?"

Hermione smiled, feeling like a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She finally felt like she can handle the day again instead of locking herself up in her room. "Okay. Let's go."


	12. The Letter

**PART ELEVEN**

**_The Letter_**

****

****

_The snow had started to fall that night before the first Quidditch match of the year. Snow usually meant that we were nearly halfway through the school year, yet still I ignored the sign. I kept it to myself even longer. I hadn't bothered telling anyone, and I had tried to keep busy so as not to let the thought surface into my mind. I paid attention to the petty little things and the less important details. I had thought that if I'd tried to ignore the warning, it'd soon go away. But I was strongly mistaken._

***

Malfoy stared at the stack of parchment in his gloved hands, frowning heavily. It was a very wrong day for Snape to pick. He'd just been given another test, and although he knew he'd studied more seriously with Hermione these past few days after his father's punishment, he still felt nervous about the exam. He had a feeling he would fail again just like before, and get another dose of his father's torture. The only thing that would prevent him from crossing that undesirable path again was to ask for Hermione's help before taking the test.

But from the looks of it, it seemed like he wouldn't possibly be able to do that anymore, considering how Hermione was avoiding him as much as possible. And he didn't even know why.

A burst of cheer from everyone around him jolted him from his thoughts. He looked up and saw that a red blur on a broomstick had just sped across the wide Quidditch field in front of him and had thrown a Quaffle straight through a Hufflepuff goal post. Gryffindor had scored again. He shook his head and leaned back into his seat in the audience, among his Housemates. Too bad everyone was obliged to watch all the Quidditch matches. He didn't really want to be present at another one of Gryffindor's phony show of skill. The only good thing about this was that classes were cancelled within the duration of the Quidditch matches, which was definitely a plus.

_Well, there is another plus, though…_

He looked far across the field at the students seated opposite the Slytherins, scanning the faces of the eager crowd. And finally, he spotted her, wrapped in a coat and a red scarf with her now straight brown locks resting gracefully on her shoulders, a few seats away from that blundering gamekeeper Hagrid, who was by far the easiest to spot. He squinted to get a clearer view of her beauty, and saw that she wasn't staring excitedly at the players on the field, but was rather focusing on something else high above in the sky.

He curiously followed her gaze and spotted Harry on his Firebolt, hovering over all the players in search of the Snitch. When all of a sudden, he dived down at the speed of light, a determined look on his face, towards a point somewhere above the Ravenclaw stands. Everyone in the audience began to stand up in anticipation, except for the students in the Slytherin stands. And Malfoy was one of them. His eyes lazily followed suit of Harry's pathetic demonstration of his supposed talent, as he sped further down. Malfoy could see Cho Chang rooting animatedly for Harry, and it made him sick to the stomach. He glanced up at Hermione in the Gryffindor stands again, and saw that even she was grinning breathlessly at Harry's near victory. And when the Snitch was finally caught, Hermione, along with everyone who wasn't in Slytherin and Hufflepuff, started jumping around in triumph, grinning like crazy. If Cho's reaction had made Malfoy sick, then Hermione's definitely made him want to hurl even more.

_Damn it_, he thought bitterly, wincing at the way Hermione ran down the Gryffindor stands to meet up with Harry on the field. The moment she reached him, she gave him the biggest hug Malfoy had ever seen, and Malfoy couldn't blame Harry for brightening up like the Dark Lord had been vanquished. Subconsciously, Malfoy began clenching his fists, crumpling the parchments in his hand. He gritted his teeth, suddenly feeling an even greater hatred for Harry, if that were possible. Here he was, suffering inner torment because Hermione wouldn't give him a second glance all because of a reason he didn't even know, and then there went Harry, winning a stupid Quidditch match and earning Hermione's affection in return. What the hell was that all about? He glared at Harry, who was being clobbered all over by a hyper-zealous mob. The filthy, disgusting, repulsive, cheating scumbag—

_Wait a minute_, Malfoy shook his head and stopped himself from shredding his test papers into a million pieces. _Wait just a darn minute,_ he repeated. What the hell was he thinking? Why was he feeling this way? Hermione was Harry's best friend, whether Malfoy liked it or not, and every year Malfoy had been a witness to her customary hug-Harry-whenever-he-does-something-wonderful-that's-not-even-so-great-in-the-first-place attitude. So why was he particularly disturbed by her actions now?

Was he…jealous…?

Why the hell would he be jealous? What was there to be jealous about? Hermione was never Malfoy's…he never really thought of her _that_ way…did he? She was a beauty. She was a goddess. She was purely divine considering her outer features. And he'd owned that divinity for a night. That was all. It was merely outward attraction…sure, it was nice that she'd always been concerned about him…but was _he_ concerned about _her_? Did he care about her as much? Care enough to want to have her, and to possessively make her his own? Was that why he was jealous of the way Hermione showed her affection towards Harry?

He gazed down the grounds at her again, as she flipped her hair over her shoulder, smiling widely with Ron by her side. And his heart ached to be anywhere but in the Slytherin stands. He wanted to go down there. He wanted to be in her presence. He wanted to be near her…just to be near her…and it would all be worth it.

He missed her. God, he missed her. And for the first time, it wasn't her touch…her lips…her body…or her skin…for the first time, he ached to be with her, not to have any sensual moments, but just to be with her. Simply have her with him. Have her by his side. They didn't have to talk; they didn't have to fool around. He just wanted her to be there. He missed _her_, and longed for her very being. He missed everything about her; he missed the Hermione Granger within.

And it was paining him more than ever that she was avoiding him, now that he'd finally realized how she meant to him. She never came to the study again since yesterday's History of Magic session, and that night he had another painful nightmare again, something that hadn't happened to him for days now because of always having spent his nights with her. The cut on his right hand had smeared with burning pain again, and he'd woken up in the middle of the night, calling out her name.

He needed her…and perhaps…maybe…he even…lo—

He shook his head again. No. He didn't want to think of it that way. He couldn't. He shouldn't. He wasn't allowed to. He wasn't supposed to feel this way about her. It was unacceptable.

_Anything but that…_He shut his eyes and swallowed, feeling agonizing tears fighting their way to his eyes. He was on the brink of breaking down…the burbling feeling inside him was overwhelming and uncontrollable. He had to stop this and do everything to prevent this from happening. This wasn't right…he should deny himself before it was too late…yes…that was what he had to do…

_Please…_He took a deep breath and tried desperately to regain himself. _Anything…but that…_

"Draco…?"

He looked up. Pansy was smiling down at him, although he could see that her eyes were worried. "We're all heading back to the common room now," she said, above the noise of the Gryffindors' cheering. "Let's go, okay?"

Malfoy tried to get a hold of himself and push his previous thoughts out of his head. He stood up and followed Pansy, with the rest of the Slytherins, down the stands.

He _had_ to convince himself. He _had_ to. He shouldn't allow this to happen to him. He'd taken control over every emotion rising within him before just so he could fulfill his tasks, so why should this be any different?

_Right,_ he thought strongly, absently allowing Pansy to take his hand once they had reached the grounds. _ This shouldn't be too difficult._

He tried really hard to believe that.

***

_It had been a while since I last saw the premonitions. Perhaps Fate wanted to give me another sign, for I had not paid attention to the previous ones. But this time, it wasn't peculiar or frightening at all. In fact, the vision almost felt…good. Of course, I could still feel the usual pain that would strike me whenever a vision would come up…but this time, it was worth it.  The only color I could see was green, and in my hand I was holding a wand. Overwhelming power was reverberating and surging through me, complementing my very existence. And for a split second, nothing else mattered in the world. Until I saw blood—fresh, dark red blood—on my hands…on my robes…all around me. But surprisingly…it felt wonderful._

***

Hermione and Malfoy suddenly had an unspoken agreement not to see each other since the first Quidditch game. Malfoy approached McGonagall and Snape and told them that he needed some time alone to study for his test, and see how well he could do without Hermione's help. This struck McGonagall as "very mature", and so she permitted it. Malfoy spent every History of Magic class in the Slytherin common room, studying by himself. He wanted to prove to Hermione, and to his father, that he could do it. He wanted Hermione to know that her avoiding him wasn't affecting him in any way at all. And at the same time, he wanted to keep away from her for a while, so that he could clearly think about how he truly felt about her. He knew that his feelings for her were gradually changing, and he didn't want that to happen. And so he was torn between trying to be distant, trying to maintain his pride, and trying to figure out how to stop missing her. Because even though he didn't want to fall for her, he still couldn't help but long for her every day. It hurt like hell.

And to top it off, every night without her was torture. He would have the same old recurring nightmares again, about defiance and punishment, and his wound would get even more excruciating than ever. He didn't know why exactly this was happening to him only whenever Granger was away, but he felt he didn't have time to figure it out. He would just have to bear it all and go on.

Hermione, on the other hand, missed him just as much. She regretted having started avoiding him in the first place, because now he was avoiding her as well. She wanted to confess her true feelings just like Ginny had suggested, but she couldn't even get the chance to talk to Malfoy now. She missed him terribly every day, especially now that she knew she loved him. She would confide in Ginny every night and would no longer leave the common room after dinner. She told Harry and Ron that McGonagall had given her a break from her duties for a while, at least until Christmas break. She went back to her History of Magic classes as well, and Ron concluded that the reason for Hermione's past nonchalant behaviors in class was that she was taking on too much work as Head Girl. Ron felt that now that her duties were lifted, she was back to her old self again. 

Harry was just as glad to have her "normal" self back, and was just as pleased whenever she would stay in the common room with them after dinner every night, but Hermione couldn't help but notice that Harry looked less energetic than usual. She confronted Ron about this, and Ron told her that it was probably all the stress from having a steady girlfriend. Hermione accepted the theory. She noticed that Harry and Cho really were spending more time together than usual. She decided not to dwell on this, and not to let _Ron_ dwell on this, because she knew they both had problems of their own. Ron's was stated in his journal, and Hermione's was missing Malfoy like hell and wanting so badly to get back to speaking terms with him again. 

The bitter winter chill outside and the snow on her windowpane added to her lonely nights, plus, she noticed that Pansy was especially sticking close to Malfoy for the past few days for some reason. She would always see them together down the hall, during class, and at the Great Hall. And what was worse, Malfoy didn't seem to care that Pansy was flirting with him 24/7. Hermione couldn't be more jealous—for a moment she almost wished she hadn't told Malfoy to sack the gel and let his cute hair down just so Pansy wouldn't flirt a whole lot more—and hurt that perhaps Malfoy wasn't missing her like she was missing him.

She was wrong, though; Malfoy did miss her, and he really did care that Pansy was sticking to him like bee to honey. And he really was rejecting Pansy; only his way of showing it was a little different. He rejected girls by acting all aloof and cold around them, not caring what they did as long as they didn't bother him too much. Unfortunately, Hermione saw this act as a sort-of flirt-with-me-for-all-I-care-because-it's-fine-with-me sign. She didn't have the guts to approach him, nor did he have the guts to approach _her_; therefore, the misunderstanding and the steer-clear-of-each-other moments continued…until the end of October on the first trip to Hogsmeade for the year.

"Finally, a break from it all," Ron said to Harry happily, as they looked at the notice posted on the bulletin board the day before the trip.

Hermione was grateful for the break as well. It would not only be a break from school, from her _real_ Head Girl duties and from the pressure of Pansy's flirting spree, but it would also be a break from stressing out over Malfoy too much. It would be a whole Malfoy-free day and it would give her momentary peace of mind and content of heart.

"See you," Harry said to her that day, as she went on ahead to the Three Broomsticks while Harry and Ron made their way to Honeydukes.

"I'm really glad to see her look so…stress-free. I haven't seen a peaceful look on her face since the beginning of the school year," Ron tightened his scarf around his neck, jerking his head to the direction where Hermione went.

"Yeah," Harry replied, rubbing his heavily covered arms with his gloved hands as they treaded on the snow towards the candy store. "I wonder why every girl's dream is to become Head Girl, considering the pressure."

"Not _every_ girl, Harry," Ron countered. He pushed the door open to the store and they both hurried inside, shutting the door and the cold wind from outside. He looked around at all the students in the shop, gathered around every shelf. "Most girls actually have bigger and more useful aspirations." He pointed to a group of Hufflepuff girls fighting over some Licorice Wands.

Harry chuckled at Ron's joke and the two of them started grabbing every sweet they could get their hands on. They lost a whole lot of Sickles, and Ron even used up a whole bag of money, but they gained packs of Droobles Best Blowing Gum, Sugar Quills, Fizzing Whizbees, Stink Pellets, Exploding Bonbons, Ice Mice, Chocolate Frogs, and Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.

Seeing Harry's worried look on Ron's empty moneybag, Ron grinned. "Don't worry; these are Fred and George's. They sent me some money so that I can buy them a few treats." He winked at Harry. "Of course, sweets aren't the _only_ things I used the money up on."

They walked back to the Three Broomsticks, excited about all they've bought, yet freezing and definitely hungry for some Butterbeer.

"Where's Hermione?" Harry asked, scanning the occupied tables among all the people in the small inn. 

Ron dusted off the snow on his coat and shrugged. "Reckon we should get a seat before we end up standing?"

Harry nodded and they started moving between tables, searching for a vacant spot. Then, in the middle of the inn, they spotted two empty tables and they hurriedly walked towards them.

Ron wrinkled his nose the moment they reached the seats. "Blimey, they haven't even cleared them yet," he said, staring at the empty mugs and plates on the tables.

"What's the matter, Weasley? Aren't you already used to this filth at your home?"

They both turned around and saw Malfoy sneering at the two of them, with, of course, his two bodyguards. Ron opened his mouth to argue, but Harry took hold of his wrist tightly, warning him not to snap back.

"Living up to your reputation, Saint Potter?" Malfoy raised his eyebrow, looking at Harry's death grip on Ron's wrist. "Don't want to cause a fight because you're Dumbledore's good little boy, I suppose." He nodded in a mocking way, as Harry glared at him menacingly. "Forgive me, though, but I think you two are in _our_ seat." And he waved his wand, clearing the table for Crabbe, Goyle and him.

Ron's eyes flashed murderously. He grabbed the back of the chair where Goyle was beginning to sit. "_We_ got here first!"

"My, getting all selfish now, are we? You're so childish, Weasley." Malfoy shook his head. "Didn't your mother ever teach you how to _grow up_ and _share_, Ickle Ronniekins? Or is she too busy making both ends meet to have any quality time with you in your shack of a home?"

Ron made a move towards Malfoy that was far too quick for Harry to stop. In seconds, he had punched Malfoy right in the nose. Everyone around them turned to watch as Malfoy stumbled backwards a bit, touching his nose and inspecting the damage. Crabbe immediately raised his fist but Malfoy held up his hand. He looked at the blood on his fingers and smiled at Ron. "That's right, Weasel. You've just proved to me right now how childish you can get. I guess I was right about your mother all along."

This time Harry grabbed both of Ron's arms before he could do any more damage. Harry glared at Malfoy again. "Mind your own damn family before you go nosing into others', Malfoy. I doubt your mum taught you anything either, considering what _you've_ grown up to be."

Malfoy's eyes narrowed and he opened his mouth to say something more, when Hermione suddenly approached Harry and Ron, holding up two mugs of Butterbeer and looking warily at the on-going situation. "What in Merlin's name are you doing?" she asked all of them irritably, setting down the mugs on the table Malfoy had cleared. Everyone around them went silent, as Malfoy seemed to reconsider what he was going to snap back. He clenched his fists and bit his lip, glaring silently at Harry, who was glaring equally as much back at him.

"You were saying, Malfoy?" Ron asked challengingly, still staring angrily at him. Malfoy glanced at Hermione out of the corner of his eye, and did a double take when he saw her looking worriedly at him, and at his bleeding nose. For a moment there he held his gaze, and everyone kept his or her watch on them, bewildered. Then Malfoy saw right through the look Hermione was giving him—concern, alarm, and perhaps, disappointment. She had no idea how much that look had stabbed him right through the heart.

Before he could flinch and possibly get lost in her eyes, Malfoy immediately covered his nose from Hermione's sight and motioned for Crabbe and Goyle to sit at the neighboring table instead, without another word. And everyone started whispering madly.

Harry let Ron go, and they both sat down with Hermione on their table, Hermione choosing to ignore what just happened between Malfoy and her. "What were you guys thinking, starting a fight in here? You were lucky there are no teachers around right now, or you guys could've been sent straight to detention!"

"The slimebag started it," Ron said indignantly, grabbing a mug of Butterbeer and chugging down its contents heatedly. "Where have you been, anyway? You were supposed to save us a seat. If you had done that, we wouldn't have picked that fight with Malfoy. Even though _he_ started it." 

"But still! Something worse could have happened. And for your information, I was just chatting with Ginny for a while," Hermione scolded them, motioning for Harry to drink the other mug. "Go on—I've already had mine. Ron, don't you ever dare get me all worried again."

Ron put down his mug, staring at Hermione disbelievingly. "What _I'm_ more worried about is why Malfoy suddenly decided to shut his fat mouth up right after you came. Was that a newfound respect for the Head Girl or something? Scared you might take points off his precious House?"

"I—I don't know," Hermione lied, suddenly blushing and hoping that Ron wouldn't notice. She quickly turned to Harry, who was drinking his mug silently, to change the topic. "You seem a little quiet, Harry. Something bothering you? I'm glad you didn't jump up on Malfoy, you know. That was a good thing you did."

Ron snorted, but Harry simply nodded. Hermione looked anxiously at him. "Harry? You okay?"

Harry put down his mug and sighed, and Hermione noticed that he looked more exasperated than ever, the dark circles under his eyes never fading. He looked at the two of them seriously. "Look, it's been a long time since the three of us got to hang out together again like this, and I actually want to make it worthwhile, okay? So can we please not talk about that freak of nature for once?"

Ron grinned. "So what _do_ you want to talk about, Harry? It's Cho, isn't it?"

Hermione felt her stomach churn at the mention of her name, but was somehow relieved when she heard Harry's reply.

"No," Harry said, quickly glancing at the table in the far corner where Cho and her friends were talking. He looked back at the two of them. "There's something you guys need to know."

He reached into the pocket of his robes underneath his coat, and brought out the rolled parchment he had found in Transfiguration a few days back. Ron and Hermione stared curiously at the Gryffindor seal on it, and Harry handed the paper to Ron. "I found it the day you Transfigured your bag into a feline fiasco."

"And you're only telling me now?" Ron started studying the scroll. "What is it?"

"I…figured I didn't want you guys to know just yet. Open it and see for yourself." Harry said, looking even more tired.

"Harry, are you sure you're okay? We can go back to Hogwarts right now if you're not feeling too well, and maybe we'll talk about this…scroll at the common room," Hermione suggested, peering into his face as Ron tried to untie the ribbon. But surprisingly, he couldn't. He couldn't seem to open it at all.

"Bloody hell," he frowned, tugging at the ribbon. "It won't budge!"

"Oh, for crying out loud, Ron! You can't even open a ruddy scroll! I swear; you can be so ridiculous sometimes!" Hermione snatched it out of his hands, but found that she couldn't open it either.

Ron looked smugly at her. "Not so ridiculous now, am I?"

Hermione stuck her tongue out at him. "This is silly. Maybe it's just locked or something." She took out her wand and pointed at the parchment. "Or stuck. _Diffindo!_" And the parchment remained unscathed.

"Why in the world are you trying to _rip_ it open???" Ron frowned again.

"Do _you_ have any better ideas???" Hermione snapped back.

"Guys! Quit it!" Harry said impatiently, grabbing the scroll again and tugging at the ribbon. It went loose instantly, and the parchment unrolled itself.

Hermione stared at it in shock. "Harry, do you realize what this means? You're the only one who can open it!"

"That or the fact that maybe it's because you're _the_ Harry Potter," Ron inserted.

"Just read it," Harry rolled his eyes, shoving the paper to Hermione.

She frowned. "But Harry…there's nothing on it…"

"What?" Harry snatched the paper back to him. He looked at Hermione skeptically. "Are you kidding? It's right there in bold letters. '_To whoever reads this_'.See?"

"Harry…I…don't see anything," Hermione insisted. "Me neither," countered Ron, and the two of them stared at Harry in a weird way. "Does this mean _you're_ the only one who can open _and_ read this…?"

Harry's brows knit together. "That's rubbish. Can't you guys _see_ anything? C'mon, quit playing. The words are clearer than ever."

"Hang on," Hermione pointed her wand at the parchment again. "_Aparecium_!"

"Okay, it's definitely not invisible ink," Ron told Harry, staring at the still blank paper. "You _are_ the only one who can read it. Tell us what's written on it, will you? I can tell it's been disturbing you for a while and you better spit it out now."

Harry sighed. "I still don't believe you, but…" He held up the parchment and took a deep breath. "_'To whoever reads this: It has come to my attention that my life here at Hogwarts is short-lived. I believe I do not have long before I leave this world forever, and my time is running out. Yet I do not want to depart without leaving any footprints behind, footprints that I feel will come useful to someone when the time is right. Lately, in my old age, I have not been myself. I could feel the sparking of something new inside me from time to time, and at random moments, I feel as though I am a different person completely. I do not remember what happens right after these moments though, and I am sad to say that I do not know what is happening to me. But I do have a clue. I know that something is not right; something inside of me has been dying to be set free from the moment I was born. My self-control had been too strong then, and it could not be set free. But now, in my old age, I am weak, and my defenses aren't as strong as they used to be. It has chosen this moment to surface from within me, and when it does, I lose control. I sometimes do not even comprehend that my peers are calling me. 'Godric, Godric,' they often say, 'what has taken over thee?' And I would—'_"

"Godric?" Hermione interrupted. "Godric Gryffindor?"

"I think so," Harry said, clearing his throat. "_'And I would not recognize my own name. I will not lie that I am not afraid, for I am. That is why I have written this letter. I know that when this letter is read, I will no longer be around to explain every detail of what has happened to me, but I want you to know that I have chosen you. And if you are reading this letter as we speak, then I know that the time is right. I have been seeing visions lately, visions that I do not wish to narrate, because of the horror of it all. But I can tell you one thing, though. These visions are signs; they are warnings of what is about to come, not in my time, but in yours. It has begun with me, and perhaps it will end with you—if you do make haste. If you are capable of reading this, then I know you are a descendant. You are chosen, and things around you are at stake. The rising that has been trying to escape from the inner recesses of my soul will either soon try to escape in you or in your peers, and I advise you to prepare for it. I do not know if the rising is for good or evil, but you are the one who received this message. You must be strong, for you are—"_

"Awww, isn't this sweet? Potter's writing Head Girl Granger here a love letter!" Pansy's voice rang through the whole inn, cutting Harry off. The three of them looked up to see Pansy and her gang of Slytherin girls standing beside their table. "Aren't you going to return the affection, Granger?"

Hermione and Harry kept silent, which made the scene even more delicious to Pansy. "My, my! Speechless?" She raised her mug of Butterbeer to her friends, speaking loudly so that the whole inn would hear. "Let's all have a toast to Granger's newfound love life! Let's hope and _pray_ that this one lasts for more than 5 minutes, shall we?"

The whole inn fell silent this time, not just the people around them, as Pansy giggled with the rest of her friends. Hermione didn't say a word, and she glanced at Malfoy out of the corner of her eye. She noticed that he was watching the scene unfold right before him without any reaction at all, but was gripping his mug more tightly than ever.

"Too quiet? What's happened to your usual, know-it-all motor mouth, Granger? Has Potter sucked up all the remaining strength left in your kissy lips?" Pansy laughed in a high-pitched tone again.

"Shut up, Pansy." Hermione refused to look at her.

"That's all?" Pansy mocked her. "Now I really _don't_ see why they named you Head Girl. Is it because of your new straight hair?" She pointed at Hermione's head.

Hermione bit her lip.

"Well, wig or not, Granger, I still think you're the ugliest creature on earth, and that Potter definitely got blinded when he got that scar," she laughed sickeningly with her cronies, and Hermione saw Malfoy grit his teeth nearby. He obviously didn't find it the least bit funny.

"Oh well, I think we better leave you two lovebirds alone. Shouldn't you be heading back to your rat hole now, Weasley?" And she started walking past them—until she "accidentally" tipped her Butterbeer mug to one side. The side of Hermione's head.

"Ooops, my bad!" she sang out in triumph, as Hermione shrieked and stood up, Butterbeer dripping all over her. The Slytherin girls started laughing hysterically, and Harry immediately stood up to help Hermione. Ron stood up as well and marched towards Pansy, wanting to slap her laughing pug-like face, but all of a sudden she stopped laughing, and so did all of her friends.

Malfoy had gotten up angrily and gripped her wrist painfully, glaring at her. Harry, Ron and Hermione froze, and a deathly silence swept over the whole inn.

"Get your filthy hands off her, slut."

Nearly everyone gasped, and Pansy's eyes started to well up with tears. Hermione couldn't think. All she could do was stare at Malfoy's fuming face, and the livid fire in his eyes that she'd never seen before. Then Pansy burst into tears and ran out of the inn, her friends running after her. Everyone hushed up, and the tension in the room couldn't get any thicker.

Malfoy looked at the direction Pansy disappeared to, and then at Hermione. They stared at each other again, and Hermione never felt more stunned, grateful, and touched in her entire life. All of a sudden she forgot all about her misunderstandings with him, all about Pansy's pranks and flirting, and all about the Butterbeer still dripping from her hair down to her clothes. Looking into his eyes made her realize that he really did care for her, and the way they were softening at her made her want to just disregard everything around her and fall into his arms again…tell him how much she loved him and wanted to be with him…

But then Malfoy looked down and made a quick grab of his coat. He walked past their table, and, muttering to Harry, "Take care of her, Potter", he left the inn as well.

He left everyone, including Harry, staring in extreme shock after him.

***

_I had tried to keep busy. I had tried to keep my mind on other things. It was halfway through November and the second Quidditch match was coming up by the end of the month. But I couldn't focus on other things. I gave in. It was out in the open now. I revealed it—but I couldn't say everything. Not just yet._

Whew again! It's been a loooong time!! I missed you guys:D School's been hell and I haven't been getting enough sleep…only like, 1 to 2 hours? Wow hehehe…anyways, you people are awesome! You guys stood by my fic even though I've been an awful updater. Thank you soooooooooo much!! I can't express my gratitude enough. I'll try to live up to your expectations about the NC-17 thing, I really will:D Thank you so much for sticking with me, even though Book Five is already out and my fic's setting is after the Goblet of Fire so the events are kinda different:D Thank you so much!!! (Oh, and yes, I haven't read The Order of the Phoenix yet…I'm taking my time hehehe!)

So, what did you guys think of these chaps? The plot's starting to get a little bit heightening, and our 'mystery narrator' is giving out hints :D Hope you guys will continue reading and reviewing!!! Love ya all!!!!! :D


	13. It Was Wrong to Hold Back

**PART TWELVE**

**_It Was Wrong to Hold Back_**

****

****

"You _have_ to talk to him, Hermione! I can't believe that it's been more than a month since you made any contact with him at all!" Ginny said exasperatedly, looking away from the Quidditch field and staring at her friend beside her.

"I can't!" Hermione shouted above the noise of all the Gryffindors cheering for their team. "I wouldn't know how to act around him! Besides, I think he likes it better this way!"

"No, he doesn't!" Ginny countered, wincing as everyone around them began jumping up in their seats because Gryffindor had scored seventy to forty against Ravenclaw. "Not long ago, he showed you, and everyone in the Three Broomsticks, just how he feels for you, Hermione! He chose to be an object of rumors and gossips about you and him, and took the risk of Pansy and her gang of Slytherin girls to hate him forever, just so he could defend you! He even asked Harry to 'take care' of you! It was a public display of affection! Doesn't that mean anything to you at all?"

"It does; it does a lot," said Hermione. "But _because_ he did that, _I_ became a target of gossips and new insults, too, you know! And Pansy's treating me worse than ever! I'm lucky all the racket about 'Why Malfoy Openly Defended Mudblood Granger at the Three Broomsticks Scandal' died down already!"

"You _so_ have your principles all mixed up," Ginny shook her head. "I can't believe you even lasted this long without talking to him! Don't you want to stop crying yourself to sleep every night?" Ginny looked across the field at the Slytherin stands and spotted Malfoy, slouched in his seat, staring down in a disturbed way at something in his hands. "Look at him! Doesn't that make you want to go over there and tell him how you feel?"

Hermione reluctantly looked at Malfoy, and her heart ached even more. She sighed. "Ginny, I feel terrible already. Do you _have_ to make me feel worse? And besides, why are you pushing me to him all of a sudden? Didn't you use to disapprove of my relationship with him?"

"Because!" Ginny said in a frustrated way. "You two look so damn miserable without each other! I don't really care if _he's_ unhappy, but I care if _you're_ unhappy! Promise me you'll make up with him, okay?"

Before Hermione could even answer, everyone around them suddenly began shouting in protest, and reacting rather violently to something that obviously went wrong in the field. Hermione and Ginny both looked up to see what had happened, and they saw Cho Chang holding the Snitch in her hand, but she didn't look the least bit happy about it. In fact, she was frowning and reasoning mildly with somebody.

It was Harry.

They were facing each other on their broomsticks, high up in the air, arguing softly so that their fast gathering teammates wouldn't hear. The Gryffindors in the stands were still going crazy in protest, but it was too late. Ravenclaw had won, one hundred ninety to eighty.

"What happened?" Hermione asked Ginny, when all of a sudden Ron came pushing his way towards them from Dean and Seamus' seats. "Can you believe it?" Ron complained in disbelief. "Harry let Cho get the Snitch!"

"What?"

"Right in the middle of the battle! Harry pulled his broom up just when they were both getting close to the Snitch! Cho caught it unknowingly, and now she's calling for a rematch!" Ron explained, staring at Harry in the air, explaining something to Cho, who was obviously disapproving of what Harry had just done. "I know they're an item, but couldn't Harry leave the gentleman act for later? He should leave Quidditch out of their relationship!"

"I don't believe it," Ginny said, as the teams landed back down on the grounds and the audience started pouring out into the fields to join the commotion with Madam Hooch.

Hermione, however, was distractedly staring at something else. Malfoy had sprung from his seat and had started leaving the stands…and the Quidditch field. He was heading back to the castle alone in a hurry.

Hermione stared after him in curiosity and concern. _Where could he possibly be going?_

And, as the official announcement declared Ravenclaw as the winner, Hermione felt that whatever was going on with Malfoy was not good at all. 

***

Malfoy raised the letter in his hand and showed it to his father. "I got your damn memo. What the hell did I do wrong this time?"

"My word…a mighty bitter greeting you've got there," Lucius sneered, stepping closer to Malfoy behind Hagrid's empty hut. "Certainly you don't—"

"I'm so sick of these warming up sentences of yours, father. Stop running me around and get to the point. I know I'm going to get the Cruciatus Curse anytime soon, anyway, so you might as well not prolong this damn torture with your fancy words and get this over with," Malfoy said irritably, gathering up all the strength he could muster in case Lucius did curse him straight on.

Lucius smiled. "Impressive. Very impressive indeed. I suppose the years of, ah, _training _have finally made you a man. I admire your guts to say that to my face. You never were the type to face your fears head-on, Draco. You always put on a mask of intimidation or of indifference to everyone, and if you feel challenged, you use your witty mouth. Isn't that true with Potter?"

"Leave damn Potter the hell out of this," Malfoy frowned ever deeper.

"Temper, temper! I merely wanted to congratulate you, my boy." Lucius took out a stack of parchment from his coat pockets and handed it to Malfoy. "Your professors have praised you in front of me. I must say that I find your work…satisfactory."

Malfoy took his test papers from his father and stared down at his score. Top marks. He frowned. He should've known that his father would never be contented, no matter how hard he had tried. To his father, it was simply "satisfactory". It was stupid to believe that he would ever be proud of his son.

Malfoy gritted his teeth to hide his anger and looked away. "If that's all you came for, then I don't think I have any reason to stay any longer. " And he began to leave, but Lucius held his arm back.

"Wait a moment, dear Draco. There is something far more important than this."

Malfoy jerked his arm away from his hold. "Then you should have told me sooner."

Lucius narrowed his eyes at him, losing the amused façade. "I _have_ been telling you for months, and yet you stubbornly refuse to listen." He pointed to his own left arm. "Have you or have you not finished your final task yet?"

"…" Malfoy looked down angrily, clenching his fist. He knew he was defeated when it came to this. He knew he was prolonging it; he didn't seem to want to do it. He wanted to change his mind completely, but he couldn't. He wasn't allowed to.

"I'm tired of this cat-and-mouse game you're playing, boy," Lucius said in a voice of deathly calm. "You've delayed all this for far too long. I'm going to have to fix this for you, and a fine set-up I will make. You _are_ to accomplish this task as soon as I finish setting it up for you, do you understand?"

This was it. Malfoy knew he couldn't dodge it at all. There was no other way out. He was trapped. He would just have to go through with it, whether he liked it or not. And he reluctantly nodded.

Lucius' eyes flashed threateningly at him, and he immediately left without saying anything more, leaving Malfoy feeling like his life had just ended. He couldn't possibly do what was being asked of him…but he had no other choice.

_Damn it!_ He thought furiously, smashing his fist forcefully against the wall of Hagrid's hut. As he fought the angry tears that were prickling his eyes, he knew that he wanted to die right then.

***

"What in bloody hell were you _thinking_, Harry?"

"—the Snitch isn't something you can just give away—"

"—we've won against Hufflepuff but if Ravenclaw wins over Slytherin—"

"—is Cho really _that_ beautiful?"

"—what if we never make it to the finals—"

"—Malfoy's face will be all over the Cup—"

"_—is Cho really that beautiful???_"

"People, people!!! Calm down!" Hermione had gotten on top of a table in the common room that night, waving her hands around for all her Housemates to pipe down. She looked pitifully at Harry, who had covered his eyes with one hand exasperatedly. He was slouched on one of the couches, trying to be oblivious to all the complaints that have been ranting in his head since he got back from the game.

"Have you all gone nuts? There are a lot of things going on with Harry right now! Is it really good to bombard him with all of your complaints? Can you not _try_ to understand what Harry's been going through?" Hermione said, as the students quieted down. She sighed. "Now, I know you all wanted Gryffindor to win today. But we have to take into consideration Harry's choice. I don't really know why Harry did what he did out there—I'm not so sure about the reason—but I do know that this is all for the best, because Harry has never done anything that wouldn't be for the good of Gryffindor."

At the sudden silence, and at Hermione's persuasive words, Ron grinned and felt a sudden rush of courage. He stood up on the table beside Hermione as well. "She's right! So I suggest you all go back to whatever you're doing with your lives and leave Harry be," he said smugly, and the students grumpily went back to their own businesses, whispering rapidly to each other. Ron grinned in triumph. "I'm _so_ good, aren't I?" he said to Hermione, who rolled her eyes and climbed down the table, sitting beside a very distraught Harry.

"Harry, are you okay? It's over now," she said softly, poking his arm. Harry lifted his hand from his closed eyes and sighed as he looked at Hermione. "Thank you," he muttered.

Ron hopped down the table and joined them. "So, why _did_ you let Cho take the Snitch? It's not just because she's—you know—special to you, is it?"

"It's the letter," Harry replied. "The letter I read to you at Hogsmeade? It said that I or the people around me are at stake. I sort of thought that if in case anything ever happened to me, at least I had made Cho happy."

"Oh, and make _us_ unhappy? And Hermione actually said that whatever your reason was, it was for the good of Gryffindor. _Hey!_" Ron frowned at Hermione, who had nudged him painfully.

"Harry, no offense or anything, but I don't think _letting_ her win can make her happier than knowing she'd lost but had done her best," Hermione argued. "Besides, don't you think you're taking that letter too seriously? I mean, we don't even know if it truly _is_ from Godric Gryffindor. And he was _old_ then. He may not be thinking straight when he wrote that."

"You can never take anything too seriously, Hermione," said Harry. "Not when Voldemort's back in power." He rose from his seat, looking even more exhausted, and went straight up to the dormitory without another word.

"What's with him?" Ron asked, staring after him. "It's just a lousy letter. _I'd_ be worried if something else came up, like another sign or something. But honestly, what harm can a letter do?"

Hermione shrugged. "I do have a feeling there's something Harry's not telling us, you know," she said, but felt guilty as soon as she did, knowing she herself was keeping a secret—particularly a Malfoy-related one. She pushed the thought out of her head and tried to focus on her friend. "Do you notice how he always looks like he's not getting enough sleep? And how strained he always looks?"

"He _does_ tend to be fidgety in the morning…and he usually looks drained of all his energy…but I always thought that was because of Cho," Ron countered.

"I know having a steady relationship can be very stressful," Hermione said, speaking from experience. "But not to the extent that one would be so…restless all the time. He looks so disturbed."

"It's You-Know-Who," said Ron, swallowing heavily. "Maybe You-Know-Who's made an appearance to Harry and he doesn't want to tell us because we might freak out. Or maybe his scar hurt again."

Hermione sighed. "I know Harry's acting weird and all, but I don't think he'd be _that_ secretive. He'd tell us right away if ever You-Know-Who _is_ involved." She rose form her seat, yawning. "Anyway, let's not talk about it right now. I'm too tired to discuss this—I'll see you in the morning." And she made her way towards the dormitory as well.

She didn't really know what was up with Harry, but all she knew was that she, too, needed to get some rest. All the thinking, about Harry _and_ Malfoy, was making her head hurt.

***

Malfoy clutched the handle of his broomstick tighter, shivering at the heavy snow beating down on him and the chilly breeze hitting his face. He tried to keep the cold out of his mind and focus on what he was about to do. He rose higher on his broomstick, going against the direction of the wind, and finally spotted what he was looking for in the dark winter night.

"_Nox_," he whispered, turning out the light on his wand. He leaned closer to the window he was hovering beside, and wiped a circular spot of the snow on it with his gloved hand. He peeked through the glass and smiled. "_Alohomora_," he pointed to the lock on the window and it burst open, allowing him to enter that particular window of the Gryffindor Tower. He quickly closed the windows again as soon as he stepped inside the room, seeing that the sleeping figure on the wide bed had stirred because of the draft that he'd brought in.

He dusted off the snow on his coat, and leaned his broomstick on the wall near the window. Feeling the sudden warmth of the room, he realized that it was bewitched to keep the temperature warm inside, almost as warm as a summer night. He took off his coat and laid it as a heap against his broomstick, and, taking a deep breath, he cautiously approached the bed.

Hermione was sleeping peacefully on it, her brown hair spread out gloriously over the pillows. Malfoy watched the steady rise and fall of her chest, and he blushed as soon as he realized that she wasn't wearing anything underneath the satin sheets that were covering her body. No wonder she had cast a Heating Charm on the room.

Malfoy carefully sat down on the edge of the bed, staring at Hermione's delicate face, and at how the lampshade's glow reflected wondrously on her shiny tresses and illuminated every curve of her face. He ungloved one hand and tentatively reached out to touch her cheek. Her softness had never been more breathtaking, and all he could think of was, _Damn, she's beautiful_.

"Hey," he whispered to her, although very aware that she could not hear him. "I…don't even know why I'm here tonight; I just want to say I'm sorry for all the wrong things I ever did to you in the past…words can never tell how I really regret them all…so I can't blame you for hating me, and I don't expect you to forgive me, either. I just want to say I'm sorry. And apologize for whatever it is that I did to make you avoid me recently. I know I screwed up again big time, just like I always do. I'm sorry, Hermione…" he paused and swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. 

"It's been more than a month since I ever got to speak to you…or touch you…or even see you up close…and I really…" he brushed a strand of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear. "I really miss you, Hermione…you probably don't feel the same way—and I don't really see why you should because what's there to miss in me anyway? But I just want you to know that I _do_ miss you, and I just wish—" He trailed off, quickly withdrawing his hand. She had stirred yet again, and had surprisingly turned to face him. But, of course, she was still asleep. The covers on her shifted a bit, and revealed a large portion of her bare back.

His trembling hands slowly reached out to touch her—because god, he wanted to feel her again after such a long time—but as soon as his hand came close, he stopped. And all of a sudden he felt like he didn't want to touch her like this, not when she didn't want to. He knew she probably didn't want this, and he respected that. He could very well take advantage of this situation—she was right there in front of him and there was no one else around—but he knew it wasn't right. In fact, the thought of doing such a thing made him sick to his stomach. He cared for her; he darn right cared for her so much…

And then he finally accepted it—he loved her.

Everything he had been fighting off suddenly came crashing down on him, and he hated the feeling of having to give in. He was mad at himself for being stupid enough not to see this coming. He was oblivious; he should've known this would happen. He should've avoided it. He should've stopped while he had the chance. He shouldn't have given in to his emotions long ago. He shouldn't have let her get too close to him.

But now that it was too late, he knew he had no other choice. He had no more way out. It was forbidden. And it was going to be a long, hard road from here.

Helpless tears began to well up in his eyes, as he angrily tried to blink them away. How could he have been so narrow-minded? How could he have been so naive? He couldn't fight this off—he loved her. He really did. How could he go on with his tasks knowing how he felt for her? He knew he would have to abandon one or the other. But what? And, more importantly, how?

He swallowed heavily and took a deep breath, trying not to think about it for now, as silent tears continued to trickle from his eyes. "You know what?" He continued to her, trying to smile. "Snape gave me another test a couple of weeks back. And guess what," he reached into his pockets and took out the crumpled papers, trying to show it to her. "I passed. Full marks. Thanks for everything, Hermione. My father wasn't really all that thrilled, but…" He reached out and tugged at her blankets, covering her exposed back. "I hope you are. It would really mean a lot to me. That's all I need to know."

He continued gazing at her for a while, all their memories together flashing vaguely across his eyes. Each memory was more painful than the last, because he knew he probably wouldn't get the chance to have them again.

He sighed and roughly wiped the tears off his face, cursing himself for being so faint-hearted. He tucked his test papers back into his pockets and stood up. "I guess I better get going. I mean, I know you need your rest, and you surely don't need _me_ disturbing you like this," he chuckled softly, looking down at her serene form. "The holidays are fast approaching; I'll be going back to the Manor soon and—" he stopped himself. He didn't really want to tell her everything just yet, not even in her sleep. He couldn't bear it. "But…before all that, I just…I just wish you'd talk to me, Hermione. It's been a really long while, and I…I truly miss you."

At that, he spun around and picked up his coat and broomstick, choosing not to look back and hoping against hope that she heard everything he had just said.

But she didn't.

Halu!!!! I'm sorry, really really sorry!!! This is all I have for now, I've been really busy with school and stuff, you guys have _no_ idea how many projects we have due. It stinks!!!!! It's student abuse!!! We're being pushed beyond our limitations!!! We really should be starting a protest already:D Anyway, I'm really, really sorry for keeping you all waiting…I know this chapter doesn't amount to much, but pleeeeeeeeeease understand that I barely have any spare time these days…what with the upcoming periodical exams and everything…everywhere I look there's always a project or a deadline smacking me right in the face. Sigh…………………

Anyways, please forgive me!!! I kept you guys waiting for too long but this is really all I have for now. I promise I'll make it up next time, okay? I'm really sorry…thank you soooooooo very much for sticking to me!!! I love your reviews!!! Please keep them coming so that I'll know what to make of my fic!!! 

P.S.

I'll try to steam up Draco and Hermione's intimate moments a bit next time…Sorry to keep you waiting!!! Please bear with me and keep reviewing! :D Love you all :D


	14. Forbidden

**PART THIRTEEN**

**_Forbidden_**

****

_I knew that my friends had started to suspect me then. They started to think there was something wrong with me, and that I wasn't acting normally. I couldn't blame them. It was becoming harder and harder to keep things to myself, and I knew that sooner or later I would have to tell them everything. Everything that had been going on with me. Everything they needed to know. And it wasn't going to be pretty. I was lucky I got through the few weeks before the start of the holidays. I had made it that far. But even with the urge to reveal everything during the second Hogsmeade trip of the year, just before the Christmas break, I couldn't bring myself to tell them again. I regret now that I hadn't told them sooner._

***

Ginny looked worriedly out the window of the Three Broomsticks, watching as the snow flakes continued to pour down on the already white ground outside. She sighed. She knew she wasn't supposed to feel this way, but she couldn't help it. She was worried…and curious.

"So much for lifting Hermione's duties," Ron grumbled, scratching his nose. "McGonagall really doesn't have a heart. Imagine assigning so much work for her right before the holidays!"

Ginny turned away from the windows and faced her brother. "Ron, I do think it's only normal for McGonagall to make sure the students have all packed their stuff before they leave tomorrow. Do you honestly believe that she can do all that by herself? Naturally she has to ask the help of Neville and Hermione. It's not easy to patrol all the students' dormitories and check if they've all packed everything they need to pack."

"I know that, but can't she ask Hermione's help _after_ the trip? Today's actually the first trip to Hogsmeade that Harry and I made without Hermione in here as well. Right, Harry?" Ron leaned across the table to snap his fingers in front of Harry's face.

"What? Oh, yeah. The first time," he said absently.

Ron shook his head at Harry's preoccupied behavior and Ginny turned to look at the windows again. She couldn't help but wonder how Hermione was doing now, and more importantly, how she was doing with _Malfoy_ now. She knew that Malfoy had stayed behind for some reason—she didn't see him board the carriages to Hogsmeade with Crabbe and Goyle—but she knew that Hermione didn't know that Malfoy stayed behind. Ginny was really curious and she wanted to know if they'd made up yet. They just had to, or else she knew Hermione would spend her holidays brooding at home. And surely, she didn't want that to happen.

Ginny pushed her chair back and stood up, startling Ron. "I think I'm going back to Hogwarts now."

"Why? Are you sick?" Ron asked anxiously.

"No, I'm fine. I just have…more packing to do. See you later." She grabbed her coat.

"Oh, great. Go ahead and leave me with Space-head Boy here," Ron jerked his head towards a very oblivious Harry.

Ginny chuckled. "I'm sorry, Ron; I really need to go." And she headed out the door.

Whatever was up with Harry was definitely less important than what was up with Hermione and Malfoy back at the castle. At least, in Ginny's opinion.

***

Hermione blew out a breath of air and placed her hand on her forehead, completely exhausted yet glad that her duties were finally over. She had just been to the last dormitory and was now heading back up the stairs to the Gryffindor Tower, never more craving for a long, hot bath. The sun had gone down but none of the students were back from Hogsmeade yet, and she suddenly wished she were there with her two best friends, just chilling out. Too bad she was Head Girl this year.

She looked out the window in the staircase and stopped dead in her tracks. Out in the open fields of the wide Hogwarts grounds, was a tiny speck among the snowy patches outside. What in the world was that? It couldn't possibly be a student, because as far as Hermione knew, everyone had gone to Hogsmeade in celebration of the holidays the next day except for her and Neville. She squinted, surprised at herself that she had seen the small dot even through the darkness of the early evening. Could it be another one of Hagrid's pets, out loose on the grounds?

She looked longingly up the stairs at the hall where the portrait of the Fat Lady was stationed, imagining her bathtub just beyond the portrait hole. But then she looked back at the unmoving speck outside, and realized reluctantly that she had to inspect that certain speck as part of being Head Girl. Yet another disadvantage.

She sighed and headed hurriedly down the stairs, thinking that the earlier she got this over with, the earlier she could soak in her tub.

She pushed the front doors open and wrapped her coat more tightly around her, thankful that the snow wasn't blowing hard but was rather gently falling down the ground. "_Lumos_," she said, lifting her wand. She quietly wound her way through the snow, and stopped right behind a tree as soon as she got to the clearing where the speck was. She bit her lip nervously and her breath instantly got caught in her throat.

Malfoy was lying down carelessly on the soft snow, one hand behind his head, staring absently at the stars sparkling gloriously in the sky. He was holding his wand in his other hand, waving its end aimlessly as if he were writing something on the sky with it. Snow was lightly falling all around him, yet he didn't seem to care at all. His eyes were dazed and he looked distracted, and Hermione's heart pounded, seeing the serenity on his face. For a moment she wondered why he hadn't gone to Hogsmeade with his friends and what he was doing out in the snow like this, but then all her thoughts vanished as soon as she heard him speak.

"I don't know…" he whispered almost inaudibly, and Hermione leaned closer to the tree to listen.

"I don't know why it seems to me that my world is falling apart whenever you're away…and you're not making it easier for me either whenever you walk past," he continued, still staring at the sky. "So please don't lead me on because my heart is weak, okay? Because it's the grace of your touch…the softness of your lips…the beauty of your face…the warmth of your smile…and the heaven I see in your eyes…nothing can be more perfect, and I'm a fool to have fallen for it all. So please…don't toy with me…you know I'm not that strong…"

Hermione placed a hand over her mouth, her lips trembling. Could Malfoy be saying what she thought he was saying?

"I'm not so sure I can tell you everything I wish to say. Before you I am nothing, and I'm not even worthy to whisper your name…" Malfoy trailed off, and Hermione peeked at him even more. Then she realized that he was actually scribbling her name in the air with his wand. She was deeply moved, but nothing could possibly top the way she felt when she heard Malfoy's next words.

"This is wrong, Hermione—I know it—but there's nothing I can do…" Malfoy dropped his wand and his voice softened even more. "I can never stop myself from falling in love with you…"

***

"Then what in the world are you waiting for??? Go for it before it's too late again!!!" Ginny exclaimed, pumping her fist energetically in the air even later that night.

"I know that, Ginny. I just can't seem to…move my legs and actually go to his dormitory and tell him," Hermione said in a flustered way, dropping down on her bed. She _so_ hated her dilemma. She _so_ hated herself.

"Ugh," Ginny threw her hands up and rose from her seat. "That's it. You're never going to find true love in your state. It takes guts, but I don't think you have any."

Hermione clamped a pillow over her head and cried out a muffled scream. Malfoy was in love with her. _In love!_ And she couldn't even muster enough courage to tell him that she felt the same way. She hated her own guts, so she couldn't blame Ginny for hating her guts, too.

Ginny sighed. "I'm sorry, Hermione. But I think this is all up to you now." She shook her head and walked to the door. "It's almost midnight. Just try and get some sleep, okay?"

Hermione threw the pillow on the floor and sighed as well. "Okay, Ginny. Thanks again."

"Good night," and Ginny left.

Hermione lazily got up from the bed and waved her wand around, casting the Heating Charm on her room again, her mind still filled with thoughts of Malfoy. She brought out her Put-Outer and in a second her room was pitch black. She didn't really want to leave the lampshade on because the dark matched her mood perfectly. Besides, she felt that the moonlight from her window was bright enough. 

Slowly and inattentively, she began undressing herself, feeling the effects of the spell she'd cast. Her clothes dropped with a thud on the carpeted floor, and she sadly crawled into bed, pulling the covers over her naked body. This was it. Tomorrow was the start of the holidays already, and she was going to head back home first thing in the morning. She would never be able to speak to Malfoy again, much less tell him how she felt. And it was all because she couldn't find it in her to tell him sooner.

She sighed dejectedly, wishing the impossible that she would somehow be able to see Malfoy before she fell asleep tonight. She missed him so much…and she couldn't help but feel the sensuality rise up inside of her. She found a burbling sensation between her legs and on her chest…and all of a sudden she had this strong urge for his rough, manly touch…

Hermione closed her eyes and her hands unknowingly crawled all over her own body, touching herself in all places. She opened her mouth in a silent moan as she squeezed her own breasts, fondling her aroused and hardened nipples, and fingered her own clit, imagining Malfoy's firm chest above her and his strong arms around her. She let out a small cry of pleasure as she inserted her finger into herself, recalling every detail of how Malfoy had pleasured her that night in the study when they first made love. She continued to toy with herself even more…as she shut her eyes and felt the hot wetness down where she was pleasuring herself…throwing her head back against the pillows…

But then her window burst open and she shrieked, instantly stopping what she was doing and sitting up in bed, clutching the covers tighter to her chest. She took her wand and looked at the window in horror.

"Oh my god!" She immediately pointed to the door and locked it as soon as she saw what had happened to her window. "Draco, what are you _doing_ here???"

Malfoy had just entered her room again and was now closing the window. He took off his coat and looked at Hermione in shock. "You're still awake?"

"Darn right I am!" Hermione said in utter surprise. She climbed out of bed and approached him, careful to make sure that the covers were still wrapped around her body. She knew that they'd already made love once, and that she was actually fantasizing about doing it again just a while ago, but still she couldn't help but feel ashamed to just let him see her naked again. "What the hell are you doing? You're not supposed to be here! Do you have _any_ idea what time it is?" She asked continuously, her face flushed in embarrassment that he might have seen what she was doing before he came.

"Of course I do! That's the reason I came here in the first place; I thought you'd be asleep," he replied irritably, removing his gloves.

"It doesn't matter if I'm asleep or not! You're _not_ supposed to _be_ here!" Hermione argued huffily. Her eyes traveled down his body. "Look at you! You're all covered in snow! Have you ever heard of not going out during winter nights??? You're going to get yourself sick like this!" She scolded and dusted his clothes with her free hand. She clutched the covers to her chest even more tightly, her brows furrowing as she cleared off the snow on him. "Honestly…" she continued, but realized that Malfoy had suddenly kept quiet. She looked up and saw that he was just standing there, looking uncertainly at her.

All of a sudden, Hermione stopped and started to blush. She looked down uneasily. She hadn't realized that they had actually talked again. They had actually talked to each other, and had gotten to see each other up-close again after such a long time. This was what she had been wanting since that day she started avoiding him, and now that it had come, all she could do was scold him and get all irritated.

But she wasn't really annoyed, was she? She was just surprised…he'd broken into her room just so he could see her…right? She was definitely shocked…in fact…she was touched…and happy. He was here again. Her wish had come true. She was able to see him before she fell asleep tonight. Now was her chance to tell him how much she loved him…and to explain that she merely overreacted that day when she started avoiding him. This was her chance to tell him everything.

So what was she doing, staring at the floor like it held the meaning of life? She should start talking! And start off by explaining that she scolded him just now not because she was mad, but because she truly cared for him and was concerned that he might get caught or get sick doing what he did!

_Come on, Hermione! _She urged herself. _Just tell him already!_

Hermione took a deep breath and looked him right in the eye. But as soon as she did, she felt every nerve in her body collapse, and all of a sudden she couldn't find the right words to say. "Hey," she said lamely, wanting to kick herself right after hearing what she'd just said.

"Hey," Malfoy greeted back, the corners of his lips tugging a bit to form a very lopsided smile.

"Er…" Hermione started fumbling with the folds of the covers she was holding against her, not knowing what else to say. Luckily, she didn't need to, because Malfoy spoke up first.

"Look, I know I'm not supposed to be here," he began, never taking his eyes off her, "and I know you're probably still mad at me for—"

"I'm not mad at you!" Hermione blurted out right away, and blushed. "I mean—I was confused that day…and I—"

"It's okay, I still want to say I'm sorry, though," Malfoy said. "I'm sorry for everything I ever did to…to hurt you or…make you feel less good about yourself. Because you shouldn't—you're the best person I've ever known."

Hermione's eyes softened as she watched him look down on the floor, obviously having an inner debate on something. She bit back a small smile.

"And as you know, it's…it's the start of the holidays tomorrow, and I know you're heading home to the Muggle world first thing in the morning, so…" He reached into his pocket and took out a small rectangular box. "I just wanted to give this to you before you leave."

Hermione speechlessly took the box that he handed to her, her heart pounding in her chest. What in the world could it possibly be?

She looked back uncertainly at Malfoy, but he smiled reassuringly and said, "Go on, open it. It's yours."

She gently opened the box and tears immediately welled up in her eyes as soon as she did. Inside the velvet box was a brilliant silver necklace, with a heart-shaped pendant and its chain embedded with small emerald gems. Hermione had never seen anything so beautiful in her life.

"Draco…" she whispered, not knowing what to say as he took the necklace from the box and gently clasped it around her neck. Her skin tingled at his warm touch, and she paid special attention to the way his fingers lingered on her neck for a while before he took a small step backwards.

"It looks perfect on you," he said, admiring her reddening face. "It's a locket that contains my every single memory of you and of the two of us together," he smiled. "So every time you open it and you see something new? Then you know that I'm thinking of you. I always do, you know…"

Hermione gently opened the locket on her neck and a small hologram immediately shone out, flashing by every scene of Malfoy's thoughts about her like a video camera. Hermione closed the locket and smiled, silent tears finally trickling down her cheeks. "Draco, I…don't know what to say…"

"You don't have to." Malfoy looked down and suddenly looked all nervous again. He swallowed heavily and looked back at Hermione, a streak of red across his face. He shoved his hands into his pockets and bit his lip.

Hermione's brows knit in concern. "What is it…?"

Malfoy didn't take his eyes off the floor. "Listen, there's…something I need to tell you."

Hermione kept silent, patiently giving him all the time he needed. Whatever he had to say was obviously burdening him, seeing as he was stammering and looking torn. But after a few seconds, he finally looked back up at her face, and she had never seen a more sincere look than what he was giving her right now.

"Hermione, I…I love you…" he breathed softly, looking like he had so much more to say, but couldn't. He kept his gaze on her, just as she kept her gaze on him, and for a while neither of them spoke at all.

Finally, Hermione looked away from him, her face flushing. She didn't know what to do or how to react. She was a mixture of shock, joy, anxiety, and doubt. How could she possibly think up a reply, or any reaction at all, in a matter of seconds?

Malfoy, though, took that hesitation as a painful rejection. It wasn't as though he was expecting her to feel the same way; after all, he knew she could never love someone as awful as him. In fact, he had expected that she would definitely not return the affection. There still was, however, a tiny speck of hope that perhaps she might love him back, and so it would be a lie to say he wasn't disappointed. He was hurt—like hell he was hurt—but he had long accepted it. What mattered now was that he'd laid it out in the open. He'd told her. Now she knew.

Malfoy cleared his throat, trying to fight the trembling hurt in his voice. "That's all I wanted to say. Merry Christmas." And he turned around, angry at his weakness. There was no point hurting. There was no point looking back.

He took his things and was just about to leave, but then he felt Hermione's hand forcefully grab his arm. He'd barely turned around at her when he felt her lean close and kiss him hungrily on the lips.

His eyes immediately shut close at the feel of her soft lips on his, and as he kissed her back he could taste the salty tears still silently trickling down her cheeks. All his thoughts—even his unsurpassed joy—flew from his mind as Hermione deepened their kiss impatiently, and he placed his hands on her hips as she kissed him harder.

Hermione's tongue plunged eagerly into him and he forgot to breathe. He didn't know why she was acting so aggressively, but heck; he loved it. Perhaps she was feeling the same emptiness within him that had been aching since they last saw each other. But he was far too engrossed to dwell on it. Besides, it was happening, so there was no point trying to know the reason.

He continued kissing her passionately until she moaned into his mouth, and then both her hands crawled up around his neck, causing the covers around her to drop down the floor. Hermione pulled him closer to her and he felt her breasts press against him. He immediately opened his eyes and, blushing heavily, gently broke away from the heated kiss.

They stayed there for a while, still cuddled together, panting. Hermione's eyes softened. "What's wrong, Draco…?"

Malfoy blushed even more and he instantly looked away. "Hermione, I…I think you should…er…put something on."

She went silent for a while, and then she chuckled lightly in amusement. "That's what's bothering you…?" She let go of him and took a small step backwards. "C'mon, Draco. Look at me."

"Herm—"

"Look at me," she said gently, smiling. "Please?"

Malfoy hesitantly turned his head towards her, and his eyes slowly made their way from her feet up to her face. His heart went crazy, as he gazed at her naked beauty, standing there just a few inches from him. "God, you're so beautiful…even more than before…" he breathed in awe.

Hermione stepped closer to him and reached out to cup his cheek. She looked tearfully into his eyes and said, "Draco, I love you, too…I always have. And you have no idea how grateful I am that you respect me, and that you don't want to take advantage of me. But you're heading back home tomorrow as well, and we won't be seeing each other for a while, so…" Her other hand started to slowly rub his chest. "I just want to give you a reminder of how much I love you, before we part ways…" She tiptoed and kissed him again. "Is that okay with you…?"

Malfoy merely grinned and kissed her back, and her eyes shut close as her lips curved into a smile. He started kissing her with the same desire she'd shown a while ago, and his hands gingerly caressed her bare back. Hermione moaned again when he pulled her closer, and she could almost feel his arousal. This somehow made her even hungrier, and she began kissing him even deeper, as they both moved across her room without balance.

In their ravenous frenzy they found themselves slamming against the wall, Hermione pinned up forcefully, with Malfoy still kissing her and making her feel like her taste was driving him crazy. Groan after groan both of them plunged and roamed and explored each other's depths, craving for more with each taste. After a while Malfoy strayed from her swollen lips and kissed her neck, licking her smooth skin voraciously as Hermione closed her eyes and exposed herself even more to him, leaning her head back against the wall. He bit into her and she opened her mouth wide in a silent blissful moan, making her seize his shirt, lustfully strip him of all his clothes, and pull him towards her eager body. At the feel of her round, plump breasts pressed against his bare chest, he reached down and grabbed her butt—causing an excited giggle from her—hoisting her up so that her aching breasts were leveled with his wet mouth. And that was when he sucked. Hard.

At that moment Hermione lost all of what's left in her and felt nothing more than wild, animal lust. The length of time that she'd desired this moment finally took its toll, and she groaned, pulling his head deeper into her breasts. She loved the feeling of being squashed up against the wall, and how she loved the way he was sucking at her mounds like there was nothing in this world that he'd wanted more.

After leaving her reddened nipple wet and incredibly aroused, Malfoy transferred to the other breast, and as he did so, one of his hands cupping her butt cheeks crawled instantly to her front. He grabbed her wet treasure and inserted his fingers into her heavily throbbing clit.

Hermione moaned out his name, rubbing herself against the wall, panting. She folded up one of her knees and spread it out, while one of her legs tried to keep herself balanced on the floor on tiptoe, because she was still a little elevated, what with him sucking her full breast. She continued to groan as she spread her leg wider and Malfoy increased the wetness in her soaking crotch, and when she couldn't take it any longer, she grabbed his pants and unzipped them, ripping off his boxers and diving under his underwear to wrap her fingers tightly around his hard, erect member.

Malfoy was compelled to let go of her breast as he groaned at her touch, and Hermione wondered for a minute if anyone would hear them. But she didn't really give a damn. All she could think of was the untamed desire burning inside her as she reached floor level again and Malfoy kissed her passionately, the both of them moaning and making sounds extremely erotic to them both. Hermione wanted more than anything to ram what she was holding into where his fingers were, and at this thought, she gave a huge spurt of wetness down at her already dripping clit.

Her moisture made Malfoy even more aware of how he was affecting her, and he was glad he was able to cause that in her. Because, god, how her fingers were stroking him! It was purely bliss, and he didn't know if he could go on with how she was making him even more erect. He reluctantly pulled his fingers out of her velvety tightness, eliciting a loud groaning protest from her. The two of them broke the heated kiss and opened their eyes, and Malfoy licked his wet fingers, getting a sample of what he knew he'd be tasting next. Hermione watched him with a plea in her eyes, and Malfoy grinned, whispering in her ear, "God, Hermione…I _want_ you…"

Hermione was just about to reply when Malfoy immediately dropped down on his knees, causing her to let go of his staff. She wanted to drop on the floor with him, but was stopped when he grabbed her knees, spread out her legs, and sucked her damp clit without warning.

Hermione bucked against the wall and cried out loud, sweat breaking out from her temples as his tongue teased her spot and made her dizzy with craving. Everything was happening so fast tonight, and the both of them were touching, grasping, and springing at each other like savage beasts. How long had they been yearning for this? How long had this moment been in their wet dreams? Now Hermione knew what wild sex was like, and what happened when desires burned too much.

Malfoy continued to suck insatiably at her, and she clenched her fists on his disheveled hair, moaning in extreme pleasure. She grunted and panted louder and louder with each lick, making him even more aroused. He sucked deeper and deeper, and his hands traveled up to squeeze her breasts, and with all the raging sensations burbling inside Hermione, she couldn't help but shudder as she leaned against the wall, shut her eyes, and released madly. She screamed his name and pulled his head deeper still into her.

He hungrily drank all of her secretions as she came furiously, lusciously tasting every single feminine drop. Even after the last squirt, he continued eating her pussy and kneading her breasts like he simply couldn't get enough. Hermione continued moaning, and her moans drove him wild with even more desire. At last he let go of her breasts and he grabbed her butt again, lifting her up away from the wall and carrying her, still licking, to her bed. They both crashed onto the soft mattress and he finally gave one last lick at her swollen clit, this time kissing her inner thighs and inhaling the wonderful scent of her release filling the room.

Hermione couldn't help but whimper at his lip action, and she realized she ought to have a turn at this. She jumped up and caught him off-guard, grabbing his shoulders and lunging at him, pinning him down on the bed. She made no delays and thrust her tongue into his mouth.

She fought a playful battle with him as they wrestled each other's tongues, and she stopped kissing him only when she heard him let out a moan.

She then leaned close to his ear. "Do you have any idea how much I've longed for you since we stopped talking…?"

Malfoy grinned, his eyes closing again as she nibbled his earlobe. "If it's the same as how much _I've_ longed for you, then yes."

Hermione smiled and kissed his lips hungrily once more, pressing her breasts against his bare chest. Malfoy groaned into her and started fondling with her aching breasts. At this, her free hand hurriedly ran down to his member again, as she eagerly grabbed his hardness. Malfoy groaned and almost bit her lip. He stopped the kiss and looked at her. "What are you doing?"

"Shut up and go on," she said breathlessly, still pleasuring over his molesting expertise. But Malfoy grinned and removed his hands from her mounds, and Hermione whined her disapproval.

"What if I don't want to?" Malfoy asked teasingly. "What if I need you to make it up to me after all the nights you didn't want to have sex in the study…?"

She chuckled mischievously, pushing herself away from him and positioning herself. "Fine then," she breathed in a low and seductive tone. "Let me just warn you that right now, you're with a very, _very_ naughty _girl_." At the word "girl", she took him completely into her tightness, and they both groaned at the perfect bliss.  

They began moving against each other, making love throughout the whole night, and Hermione moaned out loud, losing every emotion and every sense of reason to her lust. They've both just professed their love for each other, and now they were proving it. She was only seventeen; she knew that. But this wasn't just some longing for release, or just an accident because of their uncontrollable teenage desires. This was different; it was as though she was making love for the first time. 

Because right now, she was a woman, in the arms of the one man she truly loved.

OMIGAWD!!! I FINALLY UPDATED!!! After months of leaving my fanfic to grow its own mold culture and making you readers want to barge into my house and make me update right away, I finally did it!!! and, yes, you probably all know what I'm about to say, because it seems that its all I've been saying every time I upload. I'M SORRY!!! I truly, terribly, fully, completely, totally, and other-words-that-end-with—ly, am sorry! I've made you guys wait long enough. But still, despite my overly lazy and busy butt, you guys have stuck around waiting for me to upload the next chappie…and I'm really thankful!!! You guys are the best, and your reviews are totally awesome. You guys helped me a lot to go on with this fic, and I can't thank you all enough. Your comments are wonderful, you are all great readers! :D sniff sniff…I'm way touched :D Of course, to make up for the HUGE gap I made, I think I'll be uploading four or five chaps today…just to make it up to you guys :D So please sit back, relax, and get ready for the return of fujingrl!!! :D

Coming up next: Harry makes a move on Cho! Ginny sees something she's…er…quite not ready for! Lucius discovers something he wasn't supposed to! Aaaaaaaaaaand (drum roll please) the revelation of our long-awaited mystery narrator! ^.^ (Btw, how was this chapter? Did Malfoy and Hermione make out enough?:D ) 


	15. Forever Consequences

**PART FOURTEEN**

**_Forever Consequences_**

****

****

_I had actually believed that I would have a good vacation. But right before the holiday break, I stayed up all night, trying to ponder on the sixth vision I was given. Broomsticks…broomsticks were zooming here and there, so fast that I couldn't make out the people riding on them. It was deafening. There was too much noise around, and then everything suddenly went silent. All the broomsticks stopped in mid-air and fell to the ground, and then there it was. The Dark Mark. It shone brilliantly in the sky and cast a horrific glow over everything. And a sudden surge of emotions built up inside of me…something that made me want to snap…_

***

_Darn that McGonagall_, Ginny thought angrily, stomping her way up the stairs of the girls' dormitories. All the carriages were already parked outside the castle, and countless students were milling around the grounds here and there, excited at the hubbub of going back home for Christmas. Everyone would be leaving in a minute, and now McGonagall had asked Ginny to go fetch Hermione, else she be left behind at Hogwarts.

The problem was, Ginny didn't know _where_ Hermione was. It was already late in the morning and she'd searched almost the whole castle, and now she was heading towards Hermione's room as a last resort. Ginny knew Hermione couldn't possibly have overslept, but somehow she felt obliged to check her room as well in case she really was still in bed.

_And I strongly doubt that, McGonagall, so the next time you go commanding me to go on a scavenger hunt for people, ask someone else to help you, okay?_ Ginny sighed irritably and finally reached the Head Girl's room. She knocked exasperatedly. "Hermione? Are you in there?"

There was no response, and so she rapped louder. "Hermione? Get off the bloody bed, will you? McGonagall's going nutters."

Ginny waited for a while, and when there still wasn't any answer, she finally whipped out her wand. "_Alohomora!_" She pointed to the door and it clicked open. She pushed the door and stepped inside. "Hermione, were you—" Her eyes widened and she screamed as soon as she entered the room.

Hermione instantly sat up from the bed, screaming as well in shock, apparently waking up. She seized the covers around her and desperately tried to cover herself by instinct, still shrieking.

All the noise immediately woke the sleeping Malfoy beside her and he sat up touchily as well, frowning at all the racket. But his eyes widened as soon as he saw Ginny in the doorway. "Holy _sh*t_!!!" He made a quick grab of his wand on the floor with his scattered clothes and pointed it at her.

"No, wait!!!" Hermione stopped screaming and grabbed his hand, putting it down. "No Memory Charms, okay? She knows," she said, trying to shake her disheveled hair out of her face.

"She _does_?" Malfoy frowned. "Then what the hell is she doing here???"

"I'm the one who's supposed to be asking you that question!!!" Ginny spat out angrily, obviously in utter disgust at the scenario before her: clothes strewn all over the floor, Hermione looking harassed, Malfoy all messed up, and both of them naked under the same covers, hair sticking out in all places, looking like they'd just had the wildest night of their lives. And in the air filling the room was the smell of…the smell of two people…of two people who'd just made lo—"Damn it, Malfoy; you're disgusting!" she said repulsively.

He opened his mouth furiously and was just about to snap another one of his trademark comebacks, when Hermione placed a hand on his bare chest that made him shut up and look at her. "Draco, please…"

Malfoy bit his lip and merely glared at Ginny. He took a deep breath. "Okay, Weasley. Tell me what you're doing here. Haven't you heard of the word 'privacy'?"

"For your information, McGonagall sent me to look for Hermione because the carriages are leaving for the Hogwarts Express any minute, in case you haven't noticed," Ginny replied sarcastically. "Come to think of it, I _did_ see Snape looking for you in the grounds a while ago, too. So _you_ better get a move on."

"Oh no," Hermione gasped, turning to Malfoy worriedly. "I don't mind being late but didn't you tell me last night that your father wanted to see you right away for some important stuff today?"

Malfoy's eyes widened. "Damn," he muttered to himself, as he pushed the covers aside and began to shuffle out of bed. Ginny immediately turned her back to the two of them impatiently, blushing.

"I have to get going; my father's going to kill me," Malfoy said, fumbling on the floor for his clothes. Hermione wrapped the covers around her completely and climbed out of bed as well, helping him dress up. "Draco, are you sure you're going to make it on time?" she asked worriedly, helping him to his coat and trying to make his hair look at least a little bit presentable. "Because I can make up a pretty good excuse if you want—"

"It's okay. I think I'll manage," he ran his hand through his hair after the last piece of clothing was put on. He turned to Hermione and they both stared at each other for a while. It was then that Hermione leaped at him and kissed him, making him take a step back. They closed their eyes and deepened the kiss, and as they moved closer, Malfoy dug his hands under the covers on Hermione and squeezed her waiting breasts. Hermione moaned into his mouth and reached under his pants to toy with his arousal, causing him to moan as well. It was when they were both groaning and panting that Ginny cleared her throat loudly and obviously disgustedly, and they both let each other go, trying to regain control.

"Er…sorry…" Hermione panted, blushing madly and adjusting the covers around her. Malfoy smiled and kissed her forehead. He took a deep breath and placed both his hands on her shoulders, looking seriously into her eyes. "Hermione, you do love me, don't you?"

"Of course I do, silly…" she chuckled, but trailed off when she saw that he was looking at her more seriously than ever.

"And…you always will…no matter what I do…?" he continued.

Hermione's brows began to furrow in worry. "What…why are you asking me this…? Is something wrong?"

"Look, just please remember, that no matter what happens in the future, I will always love you, okay Hermione?" he said, and Hermione couldn't help but notice that his grip on her shoulders was tightening a bit, almost as if he were afraid of something.

Hermione's lips began to tremble as well. "You're scaring me, Draco…what's wrong? Is something going to happen…? Tell me—"

She got cut off when he kissed her passionately, deeply, fervently, as if wanting to prove something…or wanting to keep this moment alive forever…and she couldn't help but feel like it was going to be the last time they'd kiss this way.

Tears immediately sprung from her eyes when they broke the kiss. This time, when she peered into his face, she could almost see the fear in his eyes. But…fear of what? "Draco—"

"I love you; just promise me you'll remember that," he said again, this time more urgently. "Promise me."

She reached out and touched his cheek. "But—"

"Please," he pleaded, his voice quivering a bit.

She looked at him lovingly for a while, at the imploring look in his eyes, and the desperation in his voice. There was something wrong, she knew it, but she couldn't do anything about it. All she had to do was trust him. Trust him that everything would turn out right in the end… "Okay…I promise."

"Thank you." He gave her a small peck on the lips before letting her shoulders go, and heading towards her window. He grabbed his broomstick and paused to look back at her worried face. He smiled. "It's okay, love. I'll see you soon."

Hermione tried to smile back. "Be careful." Malfoy nodded and hopped onto his Light Year Twenty Ten, finally speeding off, without looking back.

She sighed and tried not to think that this goodbye was for good, even though it scared her like hell the way Malfoy had acted a while ago. There was definitely something up, but she knew that if she held on to her promise, she would somehow make it through.

She turned around, just about to get dressed, when she got faced by a very disturbed Ginny, wearing the biggest frown she had ever seen. She'd almost forgotten that she was there, and was able to witness what just happened between her and Malfoy—especially the part where they both almost got it on again.

Hermione gulped and grinned sheepishly. "Er…hey Ginny…"

***

"Harry…"

_So many questions…_

"Harry…"

_It's so confusing…_

"Harry…"

_I can't do this on my own…_

"Harry…"

_Will somebody please help me…?_

"Harry?"

Harry was snapped from his reverie when he felt a warm hand touch his face gently. He looked up to see Cho's face peering worriedly at him.

"Harry, you're starting to frighten me, you know…" she said, rubbing her thumb soothingly on his cheek. "Speak up, will you? Please tell me what's bothering you…"

"I'm sorry, Cho…but I…can't tell you just yet. Please understand," he replied, placing an arm around her reassuringly. "I'll be fine, though; thanks for the concern."

Cho wordlessly laid her head on his shoulder, letting him put his arms around her. The two of them had been sitting alone in a private compartment inside the Hogwarts Express for about an hour now, and yet Harry had never really paid much attention to her. He was always so wrapped up in his own world, and he didn't seem to realize that she was right there beside him. She never dared to bring this up to him, though. She didn't want to complain because she knew there was something serious on Harry's mind, but still, she couldn't help but feel neglected and unappreciated.

She closed her eyes and snuggled sadly into his embrace, not wanting to think about it anymore. She just wanted to enjoy this moment they had together, even though he didn't seem to even notice her. She wanted to be thankful. She rarely had the chance to be alone with him at school. In fact, they rarely had any intimate moments together. But right now she knew they had a long trip ahead of them, and no matter how oblivious Harry might be, she still wanted to savor their "alone time" while it lasted.

Harry looked down at her in his arms, reading the hurt expression on her face even with her eyes closed. He wanted to smack himself right then. How could he always ignore his girlfriend like this? He knew he'd let her win during the second Quidditch match, but that really didn't make up for all the times he'd neglected her. He was lucky that she even wanted to be his girlfriend, considering the danger he always carried with him. And now, even in this solitary compartment, he couldn't even find time to appreciate her. What kind of a boyfriend was he?

He shifted in his position and pulled Cho closer to him, making her open her eyes in question. But before she could even speak, Harry lifted her chin and kissed her, since he didn't really know how to apologize well.

Luckily, Cho completely understood. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he carried her onto his lap, pulling her closer still. Cho made a sound as Harry sunk intensely into her mouth, savoring her very taste. He wanted to show her how much he truly did value her, and he wouldn't allow himself to take a breather. Right now, he didn't care if he ran out of breath…he just wanted to kiss her forever…

But just then, the door to the compartment slid open. "Hey Harry, do you want some—" Ron stopped short and his eyes widened at what his friend was doing.

Harry and Cho immediately stopped kissing and they both turned to look at Ron in shock, neither of them moving from their very naughty position. All three of them started flushing beet red.

"R-Ron, er—"

"Oh geez, look at the time! I'm mighty sorry about this; I didn't mean t-to…interrupt—" Ron stuttered, slowly backing away from the reddened couple. "Go on; don't mind me!" And he shut the compartment door closed. "Whew," he shook his head, amazed at how horny Harry could actually be.

Ron continued walking down the aisle of the train, clutching his box of Every Flavor Beans. He was tired of playing Snap with Seamus and Dean, and since Harry was obviously out of the picture to hang out with, Hermione was his last hope.

He approached the compartment where he knew Harmione and Ginny were seated in, but then stopped when he heard them talking.

"But I thought you said you wanted us to get back together!"

"I did but I never said you should have _sex_ with him!"

"What difference does it make?"

"I reckon you've gone mad, alright! He was in the _girls' dormitories_, for crying out loud!"

_Ooookaaay…what's _that_ all about?_ Ron thought curiously, as he slid the compartment door open. Hermione and Ginny immediately froze.

"Hey guys," Ron greeted. "What's up?"

"Well—er—we—" Ginny's eyes darted nervously towards Hermione, who gave Ron a very nervous smile. "Ron…you…haven't by chance heard a word we've said, have you?"

He grinned. "Actually, I was kind of wondering who was having sex, but I guess that kind of conversation is totally, perfectly, and utterly normal."

Hermione reddened automatically at Ron's sarcasm, but quickly made a fix-it. "Ginny was just helping me rehearse my lines for our…Muggle Christmas play back home."

"Right…sure you are…" Ron said skeptically, taking a seat across from the two girls. "And your scripts are…where?"

Hermione cleared her throat. "Not here, silly! I'm trying to memorize my lines, you know!"

Ron shrugged and popped some Beans into his mouth. "Whatever you say."

"So, Ron," Ginny said hurriedly, trying to change the topic. "What brings you here? I thought you were with Dean."

"You _do_ have a thing with Dean, don't you?" Ron teased and Ginny blushed. "Well, for your information, I got tired of Dean and Seamus so I went to look for Harry, but he was totally getting it on with Cho so I figured I should come visit you two."

Hermione gaped at Ron's words in horror. Ginny's eyes widened. "And by 'getting it on', you mean…?"

Ron cocked his eyebrows at her. "They're making out in a private compartment."

"_Making out???_" Hermione gasped. "_Here???_"

"Okay, okay! They were just kissing, okay? They were kissing really passionately! Honestly, I don't see what's the ruddy problem. I can't believe we're even talking about this. Ugh," Ron shivered and started munching on some more Beans.

Ginny grinned knowingly at Hermione. "Oh, don't mind Hermione; she's just recovering from some hot action of her own."

"_Ginny!_" Hermione threw her empty box of Chocolate Frogs at her and Ginny started giggling like crazy.

Ron rolled his eyes. "Now I _know_ why no one likes to hang out with girls," he stood up and left, shaking his head at his still giggling sister.

***

"Need anything else, Master Draco, sir?"

"No, Misty; thanks," Malfoy said absently, and the house elf bowed her way out the door of the spacious room. He shifted in his seat and bit his lip nervously, thinking about what his father could possibly want from him now. Right after he'd flown from Hermione's room, he quickly dashed back to the Slytherin dungeons into his dormitory and packed his things, and—having explained his need to go home as quickly as possible to Snape—was allowed to use Floo Powder to transport him immediately to the Malfoy Manor's fireplace. It had been more than half an hour since the house elves took care of his luggage and asked him to wait for his father in this office, and he was getting pretty tense.

He knew that whatever it was that his father wanted wasn't going to be good. They never did have any confrontations that had no painful punishments or awful news in them. And this time, he couldn't help but feel that this was going to be worse than the last.

He let out a panicked breath of air and decided not to dwell on the horrors his father might unleash on him for now, instead thinking about the wonderful evening he'd spent with Hermione and how she was doing on the Express at the moment. He knew it had only been an hour or so since they parted, but he was missing her badly already. In fact, he truly was afraid. He had a strong feeling that he would never be able to share that same intimacy with her or kiss her full cherry lips again, not after his father's lecture later on. He had a feeling that everything would change the moment he got back to Hogwarts from the holidays, and that he would return to being the student obsessed with the Dark Arts and with making Harry Potter's life a living hell. Hermione had changed all that the moment Malfoy opened up to her, and fell in love with her. But he knew it wasn't going to be forever. He knew that the time would come when he would eventually have to face his own destiny, and return to the path he'd treaded on from the moment he was born. He wasn't supposed to fall in love with Hermione in the first place, and now it was his fault that he had to bear the pain of letting it all go—letting Hermione go. He wasn't allowed to continue his relationship with her. That was why he was reflecting back at the castle on the day the students went on a trip to Hogsmeade. He needed some time to think on what he was supposed to do, not to mention he didn't want to show his face in the Three Broomsticks just yet—not after he'd made a scandal to make Pansy pay.

But he didn't _want_ to just simply let his relationship with Hermione end that way. He knew there was still a tiny bit of hope, a little ray of light that told him he could still make it with her in the end if he tried hard enough. And that was why he didn't say goodbye. On the contrary, he told her even more how much he truly loved her, so that they could both hold on to that, and not let it all just shatter and fade away. He only wished that it would be strong enough, and that they could cling long enough to surpass the storm that he knew would come his way soon. Because it wasn't going to be a smooth sailing sea from now on.

"Please trust me, Hermione…" he whispered, hoping against hope that he would make it back to her after what he would have to face in his life.

"Oh, I'm sure she does," a sarcastic voice said, and Malfoy immediately turned around to see his father standing by the door with a sly smile on his face. "You're not backing out on her _now,_ are you?" He walked towards his desk and sat down on the chair behind it, eyeing his son across the table. 

Malfoy straightened up in his seat. 'W-what are you talking about, father?"

"Don't play games with me, boy. I know what's happening between you and a certain Mudblood you once despised and reviled." Lucius leaned back in his seat.

Malfoy kept quiet. His father knew? But how? No one could possibly have suspected them, much less tell on them! And how much did his father really know about what he and Hermione had been doing?

"It's good that your overly active mouth doesn't have any witty comebacks today. You know you're never going to win anyway, so why bother, am I right?" Lucius grinned. "Am I also right in assuming that you are wondering how I got hold of the news of your precious secret love life?"

Malfoy looked down and Lucius grinned even wider. "Ah, too meek to speak. As you can see, I happened to bump into a crying Slytherin girl on the streets of Hogsmeade a few weeks ago."

Malfoy's eyes widened. Could it be--?

"I, having the heart of gold, asked her what was wrong. And it was a very interesting story that she told me indeed." He placed a hand on his chin. "She told me that she was inside the Three Broomsticks, just minding her own business and having her usual fun, when a boy of her own House grabbed her wrist and said a few…_unforgivable_ words to her. Can you imagine that?"

"Father," Malfoy interrupted,  "I was only trying to—"

"Protect the woman you love? How very romantic of you," Lucius said. "It might have been impressive to some swooning girls but as you know, I do not tolerate such behavior in my family. Mudbloods are Mudbloods and you are _not_ supposed to have some nauseating fling with any of them!"

Malfoy winced as the tone in his father's voice rose. He knew it. It was coming.

"You know, I actually shrugged away the conclusion that was fast forming in my mind after hearing your friend's story, but your behavior did strike me as odd," his father continued. "So I kept a close watch on you, Draco. Your Housemates served their purpose pretty well, I must say. Twice you sneaked out of the Slytherin dungeons at midnight with your broomstick, and the second time you did, you never came back until late in the morning the next day. Don't think I don't know that you used Floo Powder to get here because you were afraid you were going to be late. You were too busy toying around with that Gryffindor slut to realize you've overslept—"

His eyes immediately flicked towards his father, glaring at him angrily at what he'd just called Hermione. Unfortunately, Lucius saw this and immediately whipped out his wand and pointed it at Malfoy's right hand.

"Argh!" Malfoy gripped his right hand tightly, holding back a cry of pain. Instantly, the closed wound on his hand opened up again and he groaned as the blood oozed out with searing pain.

"I see you've removed the bandages you used to put on that wound. Did you actually think that it has healed itself?" Lucius said smugly, his wand never wavering as he looked at his writhing son. "You really are too naïve. Did you not notice that your wound only hurts whenever you are away from that foul Mudblood? Did you not notice that no matter how much it would be damaged or injured, you would not experience pain as long as you were with her?"

Malfoy bent over his chair this time, as his right hand trembled with excruciating pain. He gripped it more tightly, sweat trickling down his temples. What the hell was his father getting at?

"Are you wondering _why_, dear Draco?" Lucius pressed on with a triumphant look on his face. "I _made_ that wound, boy! I carved that cut into you the moment you started your seventh year. I reserved it so that I could use it to punish you whenever you would stray from your assigned tasks!"

"I'm extremely disappointed—no, _ashamed_—that you couldn't even accomplish the final task you were assigned! You never did falter from the first five tasks; on the contrary, you accomplished them all at the beginning of the year! I never had the _chance_ to make the wound hurt to punish you—and I thought I never would—but then you had to go and procrastinate on your sixth and final task, even though she was right there in front of you!" Lucius said angrily, and Malfoy cried out even more when he increased the pain. "I could never be happier when Hogwarts assigned her to be your tutor! It gave you the chance to kill two birds with one stone—you could've gotten high marks on History of Magic _and_ accomplish your task so easily! All _you_ had to do to finish your final task was take her blood covertly—you even had a private study! Everything was so perfect; but _you_ messed it all up!!! Half the year has passed and you _still_ haven't gotten any Mudblood blood for the ingredients, you _still_ haven't gotten the Dark Mark, and you _still_ haven't earned the title of a full-fledged Death Eater!!! YOU ARE A DISGRACE!!!"

Malfoy collapsed on the floor from his chair, gasping when Lucius finally withdrew his wand and the pain stopped. His right arm was drenched in dark red blood, spreading out all over the carpeted floor. He closed his eyes, panting heavily.

"Perhaps I was wrong about punishing you by causing your wound to hurt whenever you were away from that girl, or should I say, your final task. Because even though you were an idiot enough not to realize my intentions, you _did_ become close to her, yet in the most abhorred way possible. You _fell_ for the repulsive Mudblood! And since you've already sickeningly given some of you _inside_ her all those times you fooled around her, then she does not qualify for a pure Mudblood and you no longer need _her _blood for your ingredients. She's had, unfortunately, made sexual contacts with you and we can't have her blood now that you've polluted it!" Lucius winced in utter disgust. He looked loathingly at his son, panting on the floor.

"It's _you_ who's made this harder on yourself, foolish boy. Because of your stupidity, we can no longer count on that Gryffindor; you _do_ know how _tremendously_ important—and difficult—finding completely pure Mudblood's blood is, and it is your fault that you are suffering now. Face the consequences, Draco; you deserve it all," Lucius stood up. "Now, you leave me no choice but to look for another Mudblood victim for you and make that set-up I mentioned before. You _will_ do this the moment you step back into Hogwarts, and you _will_ get your Dark Mark as soon as you do. And as for the slut, we no longer have any use for her."

Malfoy immediately opened his eyes. "What—"

"You've passed the latest History of Magic practice test—all on your own, I've been told—and you no longer need her blood, and so the only thing to do is dispose of her." Lucius grinned evilly. "She's interfered with your life—making you think twice about your tasks—long enough."

"No, please!" Malfoy struggled to get up. "She has nothing to do with this! I…I made hesitations…on my own…"

Lucius cocked an eyebrow skeptically. "On your own?"

"Yes, father, I—I did," he pushed himself up on the chair. "Hermione had nothing to do with it, so please just…leave her out of this. I swear I'll do everything flawlessly from now on. Just don't…hurt her…"

"Good lord, are you becoming a martyr now, Draco?" Lucius shook his head. "How very touching. Do you honestly believe that I will comply to that proposal of yours?"

Malfoy looked down furiously. "I promise I will do everything you want me to," he clenched his fist. "What more do you want?" 

Lucius sighed in amusement. "My dear, poor boy," he shook his head, as if at a great loss at his son's undesirable words and pathetic choice of action. He sighed again. "Very well, then. If it would mean your immediate becoming a Death Eater, then you have yourself a deal."

He looked up in surprise. Was his father really agreeing to his terms…?

"However," Lucius lifted a warning finger. "Should you make any unnecessary contact with her—_any_ contact at all—I assure you that she will _never _be able to do so again for as long as she lives, which I'm sure won't be for long if you decide to break off our deal."

Malfoy swallowed heavily, looking away from his father to hide the angry tears welling up in his eyes. His father wasn't being reasonable at all. How could he possibly live through the rest of his year without even talking to Hermione? He loved her too much…he had to at least be able to hold her…or smile at her…but…he knew that if he did, his father would do something terrible and Hermione would be in so much of a predicament that he couldn't even imagine it. Heaven only knew what his father would do…he didn't really care about himself—he was used to all this—but Hermione…she was a different story. He knew he would die if anything ever happened to her.

He took a deep breath and reluctantly—very reluctantly—nodded. Lucius smirked triumphantly. "I trust you will keep your word this time, Draco. Because if you waver one more time, the Dark Lord will not be pleased."

Malfoy gritted his teeth and held back everything he wanted to snap back, choosing instead to just leave the office wordlessly and head straight to his room. It all wasn't fair, but he knew that this would come. This probably was what his recurring nightmares were warning him about—him being punished for defiance. He knew that it was somehow his fault that he hadn't seen it sooner, and that he'd gone and fallen in love with someone who was merely supposed to be a tool to get the last ingredient for his tasks. He sighed silently and stood to leave, clutching his bleeding right hand. His father was right. He deserved all of this.

Lucius watched as his son disappeared from the office, seeing the inner struggle and the jumble of emotions in his eyes. He smirked slyly and whispered almost inaudibly, "I believe Draco will be doing just fine, my Lord…"

And, out of nowhere, a voice replied lowly, "See to it that he will."

*****__**

_I remember that I almost told her about everything that was happening to me at the Hogwarts Express that day—she seemed so upset about it that I almost couldn't resist. But I knew it wasn't the time—not yet—because I couldn't even tell my two best friends about it. I knew they suspected that something was wrong, but there was no point worrying them any further by telling them everything—they had their own problems to deal with and I didn't want to bother them with mine. I was seventeen then, and I had thought that I could do everything on my own and without my friends' help for once, but the longer I kept it to myself, the more I knew that I couldn't do it alone. So I sought help on whether I should tell them or not. That was why I went home for Christmas—not to the Dursleys, but to Sirius._

Ta-da!!! Hip-hip HORAAAAYY!!! The mystery narrator is finally revealed!!! Yey! You guys can go back to the other chapters and check out the narrations and you'll see that they all really point to the boy who lived, plus the context clues pretty much say it all. Sorry if I made you guys wait too long; I kind of wanted to let the realization sink in…that Harry's the one narrating it all hehehe:D And please, please, _please_ forgive me if it all sounds weird in my fic because I purposely haven't read the fifth book, so I don't really know what events occurred there that may be contradicting to the events that occurred here in my fic. This is set in their seventh year by the way, if ever I didn't make it clear before. Anyways, I know that a certain "someone" died in the fifth book (a friend of mine unfortunately spoiled me and oh-so-gracefully revealed to me who that person is), but since I'm writing this fic without any other reference but the first four books, I won't register that dead person here in my fic:D Hope it doesn't get too confusing for those who've already read The Order of the Phoenix out there:D

Anyways, I promised to upload four or five chapters today, so off I go to write some more! Please continue R&R-ing!:D


	16. Absence

**PART FIFTEEN**

**_Absence…_**

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Hermione immediately busied herself with the whole lot of homework Hogwarts gave them for the holidays the moment she got home. She didn't want her mind to wander to the unpredicted events that had happened to her for the past months at school—being assigned as a tutor, getting detention, falling in love…and with the most unexpected candidate. She didn't want to think about her Draco, about him having to face his father again when he got home, about him professing his love to her but seeming like saying goodbye as well, about him making love to her twice in two of the best nights she'd had in her life…all of which, of course, weren't supposed to come to her parents' knowledge, especially the last part. She knew they would kill her if they knew she'd given herself away at her age. And to _Draco Malfoy_, of all people. That was why she was always trying to keep busy, so that her parents wouldn't suspect a thing.

But every night, when everything was still and she was alone in her room, she would open the locket that Draco gave her and reminisce on everything they've been through together, missing him badly every time his face would flash, longing for his touch whenever she watched his thoughts when they were making love, and extremely flattered to see that every day there were newly added clips to the locket, meaning he was always thinking of her. And she knew that she would die if ever he really did say goodbye.

On Christmas morning, she woke up early to the smell of her mother's waffles wafting from the kitchen downstairs. She grinned, glad that at least some things never changed—because it was her mom's tradition to cook her famous Christmas waffles every year. She had already opened her presents last night, so she quickly got up and brushed her hair. This had become her daily habit because of Malfoy, and it was becoming quite enjoyable. She hurriedly dashed downstairs.

"Good morning," she greeted, seating herself on the breakfast table as her mother instinctively carried a plate of her waffles to her. "Where's Dad?"

"He's out at the clinic today, dear," Mrs. Granger replied. "A patient of his called earlier this morning and complained about his tooth job." She sighed. "I know it's Christmas and everything, but your father values his patients too much and he just won't listen."

Hermione giggled and took a bite of her breakfast. All of a sudden, a thought occurred to her. "Hey Mum…? Can I go to Diagon Alley today?"

"Diagon Alley?" Her mom asked, sitting down across from her. "You don't need new books for the new term, do you?"

"Not really, but I just want to wander around for a while. Besides, it's been a while since I got some sundaes from Florean Fortescue," she grinned.

"Well…okay, dear. Just be careful," Mrs. Granger said knowingly. "And say hello to your friends for me."

Hermione smiled and got up, surprised that her mom could see right through her.

A few hours later, after she'd taken a bath and gotten dressed, she sat down outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor, a bit exhausted from her trip to Diagon Alley. She looked around at the witches and wizards milling about, talking and laughing and enjoying the smell of Christmas in the air. She tightened her scarf around her neck and took another spoonful of her sundae. She knew she wasn't supposed to be eating ice cream in this snow, but she had nothing better to do anyway. She'd sent owls to both Harry and Ron the moment she got to Eeylops Owl Emporium—she'd rented two owls for it—but she doubted whether they would receive them this fast or not. So it looked like she was going to be alone here for a while.

Hermione sighed and shoved her spoon into her mouth again, but was interrupted by a light tap on her shoulder. She turned around.

"Hermione?" Cho looked skeptically at her, and then smiled. "Hey, I didn't expect you to be here—at least not at Christmas."

"Hey," Hermione greeted back, almost half-heartedly. She didn't know why she always felt a teeny bit of annoyance whenever Cho was around, and the fact that Ron said she was kissing Harry in the train made her even less fond of her. But seeing how Cho was smiling innocently at her, she couldn't resist at least trying to be nice back. "What brings you here?"

"I was just walking around. I had to escape the family get-together—they were actually making me sing Oh Come All Ye Faithful in front of everyone. I do get tired of the reunion at times," she chuckled, and Hermione was somehow pleased to hear that Cho wasn't here with Harry.

Hermione motioned to the seat across from her. "D'you want to join me for a while, then?" she asked forcibly.

"Thank you," Cho smiled again and took a seat. Hermione didn't say anything then; she couldn't think of anything to say, and she didn't want to. She'd tried to be nice, and now she'd done her part. It was Cho's turn.

Cho looked down uncomfortably at the silence, and then she cleared her throat after a few minutes of Hermione eating her sundae without saying anything. "Er, Hermione?"

Hermione looked up. "Yeah?"

"Listen, there's something I've been meaning to ask you," Cho said, fidgeting with the hem of her scarf. "Are you really…okay with…you know…Harry and me…being together…?"

Hermione choked on her ice cream and she immediately put her spoon down. "W-why do you ask that?"

"It's just that…I've been noticing that whenever Harry and I are together, you're not really being…all that friendly," Cho said, smiling sheepishly. "I know I'm a year older than him and I can understand if you don't like me and all—"

"No, no; that's not it," Hermione blurted out. "It's great that you and Harry are finally getting together; he's been pining over you for a ruddy long time, you know. I just…" she trailed off, and Cho looked down. Hermione sighed. "I guess I just feel a little…awkward, having to share Harry's time with someone else now. He has always hung out with Ron and me for the past six years, and…maybe I'm just not used to him not being around too much anymore. He was always there whenever we needed him, and now that he's not, I guess I…freaked out a bit. It has nothing to do with you, really, and I'm sorry."

Cho smiled at her. "It's okay; I totally understand. I'm sorry, too…" Cho trailed off, and Hermione couldn't help but wince at the note of sadness in Cho's tone. Hermione knew that Harry still did spend most of his time with herself and Ron, just not _all_ of his time. She also knew that Cho rarely had the chance to be alone with him, and yet here Cho was, apologizing for that little time she was taking Harry to herself. Hermione felt like a complete selfish brat.

Cho cleared her throat and grinned. "I'm sorry again, Hermione. I _will_ tell Harry not to hog me too much," she joked good-humoredly and stood up. "Anyways, I think I better go. My parents are probably holding a search party for me by now. Thank you for the seat, Hermione," she chuckled. "See you at school."

Hermione smiled and waved as Cho walked away, a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. Now she felt even worse than before, knowing how awful she'd acted around Cho. She truly was a possessive jerk.

She shook her head. She _had _managed to get her mind off her Draco, but now Cho was in the picture and Hermione couldn't feel more terrible. She sighed, hoping that Harry and Ron really would come and meet her. Right now, she really needed her two best friends.

What a way to spend her Christmas Day.

Yes, I know; this chapter is too short. I just kind of wanted to center on Hermione's feelings after it all right now, and to settle the tension between her and Cho. Also, I wanted to portray Hermione's peaceful yet solitary Muggle Christmas and emphasize how much Hermione was affected by falling in love with Malfoy and having him say the same thing to her. You know, being blooming and happy and the things one feels when one is truly in love but the person loved is far away. They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder but…we'll see :D

And since this chappie is a bit short, I'd like to take this opportunity to reply to the reviewers (yey! I finally had the time to do this!).

bam: Heya! You were the first one to submit a review and I just want to thank you for giving me that courage I needed when I first started this fic. Hope you like it so far!

Miaka: Thanks! It was nice to know that I made a 'wonderful start'! :D

Jodie: Wow, you are really a great encourager! When I posted the first chapters I didn't think I'd get praises and stuff…but right from the very start you were really very supportive:D Thanks for all the compliments! They really got me going. And yeah, I kind of know what you mean about Malfoy being a bad-ass student and all, and I didn't want him to be all sappy, too. I wanted him to be cold and still obnoxious, and yet somehow still capable of falling in love and allowing Hermione to melt his heart ^.^ Thanks for everything!

Blance Dubois: Hehehe, yes there is sexual tension between them, what with being seventeen and all. Not to mention all the raging hormones (wink wink). Anyways, I'm, trying to go beyond the rating a bit for your reading pleasure :D Hope I didn't disappoint you!

Darkwind & heather: I try my best :D Thanks!

Luisa: Whew! I'm glad to hear that. It's pretty tough not to be cliché and all, considering how many Draco+Hermione fics are out there. At first I thought that the tutoring thing was way too common, but thank you for convincing me that it wasn't. Peace!

kissmekate: Thank you! I'm sorry if the narrations got a little confusing; it was sort of my fault too that I made too much "mystery hints" hehe! Hope it's clearer now that the narrator's revealed!

Bride of Malfoy: Sorry about the errors, I hope my email helped you :D

love-orthelack-thereof, kitkat, Artemis*godess, Deviant Deviltry, OneOFaKind92, Jazzylady, clatter, and Blanche Dubois: Waaah okay, so maybe I really was holding back too much :D I'm sorry guys! I was too cautious.  Thank you for all the encouragement, confidence, and all the suggestions! I'll keep trying to juice it up for you guys:D As for adultfanfiction.net, I have plans for that…(mischievous grin)

eth, sri, RuByMoOn17, Pippin, xStupid.Girlxo, kkjade,Dracosgurl_03, inclined, WhisperStarlight, Princesa serenity mononok1, Monica, and porcelain-starfish: Hey, thanks so much!!! You have no idea how helpful your compliments are. I'm sorry if it took so long for me to update:D

Deviant Deviltry: Thanks again for understanding; the parchment was revealed when they were in Hogsmeade, but it wasn't explained yet:D I'll get to that when the time comes:D And as for Draco and Hermione going public…it's going to come sometime soon…hope you'll stick around 'til then!

NotSoBlondie: I'm so sorry!!! Fanfiction.net does that sometimes…I don't really know why:D I'm really sorry I wasn't able to post what happened in chap12 in the next chap! I hope the errors are gone now and you can view the pages normally again:D thanks for the compliments!!! Shucks ^.^

PolishPrincess: Waaaah I'm so sorry it took so long…too many obstacles in my way huhuhu…I hope you like the next chaps though:D Sorry for the long wait!

Aidan666: Wow, you've really reviewed a lot! I totally appreciate it:D That was kind of a bittersweet scene, I guess. And with Harry and Hermione being paired up all the time, who wouldn't think that they're really an item? I also wanted to portray in that scene how Malfoy would go beyond his hatred for Harry just to ensure Hermione's safety and happiness:D Awww, I love Draco! XD

Jazzylady: I'm so sorry! I haven't read the fifth book, but I know who got killed off though…it stinks really, I like that character a lot, too L I guess J.K. Rowling has bigger plans for everything:D

Jodie: Omigawd, you're so great! Thank you sooo much from the bottom of my heart for all the support and encouragement and tips and stuff:D They really helped me a lot, not to mention I was greatly inspired by your comments:D Thanks for the praises, and I promise that I'll do my best not to let you down! I try to keep them all in character as best as I can, and hopefully they'll stay that way until the fic ends:D Once again, I'm so sorry to have kept you waiting! I'm very much flattered by your addiction to my fic:D More power to you, too, fellow writer! And may the evils of writers' block never grace our doorsteps again :D (more power to Draco, too, and his incredible sexiness ^.^)

firefly50, l10l15l18l4l1l13, SaDiStIc-FrEaK1, and Ninde Ancalime: Sniff, poor Draco…sorry if I had to write that scene; I wanted to prove how he really loves Hermione and will always love her no matter what…thanks for everything!!! :D

To all my beloved readers: THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!! Muchas Gracias! Maraming salamat! Love you all very much! Please continue reviewing and I hope you guys will like my future chaps!:D


	17. The Damage is Done

**PART SIXTEEN**

**_The Damage is Done_**

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_Term started so quickly and we had to go back to Hogwarts for the New Year. I felt bad for not having met Hermione at Diagon Alley on Christmas, but I had other things to attend to—Sirius was telling me everything about my parents during their childhood days at Hogwarts. I only hoped that Ron showed up so Hermione wouldn't be all alone. I had asked Sirius' help about my dilemma, yet I didn't really tell him what it was that I was meaning to tell my friends. He told me that I would know if the time was right to confess…but I didn't. And it was the first time in my entire life that I actually dreaded going back to school._

_***_

"I do wonder what McGonagall's got you in for this time," Ron pondered out loud. "It's the second time she's called for you for no particular reason at all."

"I'm sure there's a perfectly good explanation for this, Ron," Hermione rounded the corner and clutched her books tighter to her chest. "I only hope that it's not bad news."

"Well, if you ask me, being held back brings _nothing_ but bad news. So you better run while you still can," Ron fell in step beside her, and they both made their way to McGonagall's office on the morning of the first day of the new term.

Hermione stopped outside the office door, cocking her eyebrow at Ron. "I didn't do anything wrong, you know. It can't be bad news; she probably has some new duty for me to do." She took a deep breath, trying to convince herself. To be honest, she _did_ feel a bit nervous. It was only the first day. She had been so excited to come back to school so that she could see Malfoy again, not to mention she wanted to know why, after the New Year, there were no more new additions of his thoughts on her locket. It worried her that Malfoy was no longer thinking about her after the New Year, or perhaps, her locket was just simply…broken. But the point was, she had been looking forward to coming back to Hogwarts, but being called to McGonagall's office was definitely not something she was expecting.

Ron leaned against the wall beside the office door, crossing his arms. "You really should take my advice, you know. Running is always a good solution."

"Come off it, Ron," Hermione rolled her eyes. "There would be no place to go. Besides, this can't possibly be anything bad. Trust me; I'll still be smiling even after I get out of there."

Ron shrugged. "Say what you want. I'll just hang back here and wait for you."

Hermione nodded and, taking a deep breath, pushed open the door.

Professor McGonagall was sitting busily behind her fully-occupied desk, looking extremely flustered as she scanned the pages of opened books and rummaged through the pieces of parchment scattered all over her table. She was shaking her head every now and then, her brows furrowing and her lips curling into frustrated frowns. Hermione had never seen her so drained in her life.

"Er…excuse me…Professor…?" Hermione said, stepping towards the desk. "You called for me…?"

McGonagall's head snapped up and she sighed the moment she saw Hermione. She gently removed her glasses and leaned back exhaustedly into her seat. "Yes, Ms. Granger, there has just been a little change of plans."

Hermione raised her eyebrows.

"I trust you know that Mr. Malfoy has scored marvelously in his previous practice test before the holiday break," McGonagall said, and Hermione frowned. Malfoy had another test? She was supposed to tutor him especially in times like those! How come she wasn't informed of it? Why didn't Malfoy tell her? And how could he have scored perfectly if he hadn't asked her help at all…?

McGonagall cleared her throat. "Mr. Malfoy had requested that he take the quiz on his own to test his skills, and he did manage to score top marks without your help, I daresay. And so," she folded her hands neatly together. "His father, Lucius, told me just recently that he no longer wants his son under your tutorials…and that his son was now capable of studying History of Magic on his own. Thank you, Ms. Granger. You have performed wonderfully, and the school is now canceling the yearlong tutorial you were assigned. We still will, of course, have your History of Magic grades covered as a token of gratitude, but you may go back to your regular classes and replace the Dummy if you wish."

Hermione stared at her teacher in shock. Did she just hear all that right? Her sessions with Malfoy were _over_? Malfoy had taken a test _on his own_? But the tutorials were special to her! It was the only time she could be close to Malfoy without arousing any suspicions! How could they take that away from her? And how could Malfoy _not tell_? Was he meaning for this to happen so he took the test on his own?

"W-what about…the study…?" she stammered, struggling to keep her composure.

"You can keep the study, dear. You may still go there whenever you need some time to review if you like. It will, however, still remain a secret between you and Mr. Malfoy, and I don't want you inviting others into that room, not even Potter and Weasley," replied McGonagall strictly. "Is that understood?"

Hermione swallowed heavily. She still couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Y-yes, professor," she mumbled. So…just like that…the sessions were over? How would she be able to spend any time with Malfoy alone now that her only excuse was gone? Would she be able to arrange it so that she and Malfoy could still meet in the study every night?

"Now, if you no longer have any questions, I would advise you to please leave for your next class now. As you can see, I still have plenty of paperwork to be done; owl post has been insane lately…" McGonagall put on her glasses again and returned to her work. Hermione then slowly backed out of the office, still in shock and awfully depressed. Ron immediately greeted her the moment she got outside the room.

"So how'd it go? I don't see you smiling, you know," Ron joked, and Hermione forced a smile at him. "I'm perfectly fine, Ron. McGonagall just lifted off a…duty of mine…I…don't need to go off every night after dinner anymore."

"Wicked!" Ron exclaimed, and the two of them made their way towards second period. "Now you can spend more time helping me out with my homework again!"

Hermione poked him in the ribs playfully, somehow managing to really smile a bit. "In your dreams, Ron," she replied, and he started ticking off with his fingers the reasons why she should help him. Hermione shook her head, slightly amused. She still couldn't get her mind off what McGonagall had just told her, and she still was pretty dejected, but blimey, she was glad Ron was with her right now.

She really needed his antics at the moment.

***

Harry placed his hand on his forehead and shut his eyes tight, gritting his teeth. His temples felt like bursting, and everything was becoming blurred in his mind's eye. He aimlessly stumbled towards the wall of the deserted corridor, leaning against it helplessly. He bit his lip as another blast of pain seared through inside his head, and for a moment he thought he was going to collapse again. And he couldn't afford that, not when everyone else was already in the Great Hall for lunch and he was completely alone in the corridors, having just emerged from the hospital wing. He didn't know what was happening to him; he had no idea why his head was suddenly aching all of a sudden—and for the first time, it wasn't his scar. His head was just plainly in pain, and he would never forget the way he'd fainted right in front of Cho while he was talking to her a few hours ago. He didn't want to relive the shame of having had Cho take him to the hospital wing with her "mobilicorpus", as Madam Pomfrey had narrated to him the moment he woke up in the hospital wing. He didn't know why he'd suddenly fainted—and neither did Madam Pomfrey—but he somehow convinced her that he was alright now and that he had already regained enough strength to make it to the Great Hall alone.

But right now it looked like he wouldn't be able to do that after all.

Harry sighed as the pain subsided a bit, and he put his hand down. Right after first period, he'd gone and went to talk to Cho while Ron accompanied Hermione to McGonagall. But then he'd fainted, and he'd missed History of Magic _and_ Defense Against the Dark Arts. He most definitely didn't want to miss lunch now.

With all his remaining effort, Harry pushed himself away from the wall and continued walking down the corridor to the Great Hall. He forcibly made his way to the Gryffindors' table the moment he got there, and he could feel everyone's eyes on him as his solitary figure entered the Hall. Hermione and Ron immediately got up to help him make his way the moment they spotted him, and he couldn't be more thankful, because he felt he couldn't hold up much longer.

"Harry! What on earth happened?" Hermione asked worriedly as she and Ron seated him between them.

"You missed two bloody subjects!" Ron exclaimed, and everyone else at the Gryffindor table turned to Harry. "I reckon you've been sleeping in the dormitories!"

"You look really sick, Harry. What happened after you went and talked to Cho?" asked Hermione, handing him a plate of chicken legs.

"Nothing," Harry lied instantly. "Snape called for me and asked me to…er…clean out the dungeons; that's why I feel like I'm gonna be sick."

"Clean out the dungeons?" Hermione gasped. "But you didn't do anything wrong!"

"'Course he didn't! That ugly git's just trying to make Harry's life miserable," Ron said and took the plate Hermione was holding when Harry didn't take it. "Why didn't Dumbledore fire him when he had the chance?"

"Forget it, you two," Harry sighed, slowly starting to feel a little better now. "Let's just eat, okay? I'm starved after all that…cleaning."

Hermione nodded. "Okay then, just try not to think about Snape." She snatched the plate away from a complaining Ron and handed it back to Harry. "I hope you guys don't mind, but I really should go; I still have to meet up with Neville for the new term's plans. Eat a lot; okay Harry? I'll catch up with you both in Herbology." She stood up and Ron waved absently, scouting the table for more chicken legs. She gathered her things and started leaving the table, but just as she was about to exit the Hall, she turned and walked right into someone, causing her books to scatter all over the floor. She looked up angrily at the person who bumped into her, but then she went rigid and all she could think of was two words.

Draco Malfoy.

Hermione swallowed heavily as Malfoy froze in his spot, and they both stared at each other wordlessly for a while. All the noise in the Great Hall died down and everyone watched the two of them intently, the 'Three Broomsticks incident' flashing quickly back into each student's mind. Hermione could almost hear the girls whispering to each other again, bringing up the 'Why Malfoy Openly Defended Mudblood Granger at the Three Broomsticks Scandal'.

Hermione's heart immediately started beating thrice as fast, as she stood there staring into Draco's deep eyes that were staring right back into hers. It was the first time they'd had any contact since they both got back to school, even though Gryffindor and Slytherin had History and Defense together. She couldn't think of anything else—not even the possibility that Malfoy hadn't thought of her since the New Year—but that day in her room when Malfoy told her he loved her. And at that thought, Hermione started to smile. 

But it was also at that point when Malfoy frowned, and Hermione could perfectly see the flicker of irritation and—painfully—the hatred in his eyes.

"Watch where you're going, you grimy Mudblood," Malfoy snapped, dusting off his robes and pretending to clear off any dirt she might have placed on them. "I don't mind Dumbledore having to keep you around this school, but at least serve some use even if you don't belong here. Dirty blood counts even less than elf blood, so why don't you hurry along down the kitchens where you belong? It's lunch time and everyone's hungry, so you better not slack off, servant, or you really _will_ have no reason to stay." He took a step forward and purposely stomped on her books on the floor, making her open her mouth in utter shock and hurt. He pointed at her now grubby books. "Ooops, there's a spot. Clean it up, will you?" And he stalked out of the Great Hall, to the laughter of every student in the Slytherin table.

Hermione looked at them in horror, seeing their sneering faces whirling all around her, and then centering on Pansy's wicked grin and sinister laugh, and all of a sudden Hermione couldn't take it anymore. She hurriedly and clumsily grabbed her books from the floor as the sickening sound of laughter reverberated even louder, ringing mercilessly in her ears. She clutched her books to her chest and broke into a run, ignoring Harry and Ron's worried voices, her tears bursting all over her face. She felt like her heart was being crushed, and it was squeezing the life out of her. The pain of everything Malfoy had just said…how he'd treated her…and the look that told her it wasn't all just some joke to cover up their relationship…was killing her right there and then. She sped into the nearest empty classroom and locked it shut, throwing her books down again and allowing herself to slide down the floor in agony, as she wept inevitably at the pain that was crushing her heart.

Little did she know, that a few floors away in a particular room in the Slytherin dormitories, someone was sulking in a dark corner of his room, his head down, his fists clenched and his eyes shut, silent tears trickling down his cheeks in sheer helplessness and regret of having hurt the one he loved. 

Because a while back in the Great Hall, he'd just done the hardest thing anyone ever could.

Waaaah…I know Malfoy's a total jerk here, but I promise, there's a reason and purpose behind this:D Anyways, I guess this is all I can do for now…four chapters in a day…whew…once again I would like to apologize for my long absence, and I hope this will be enough for now!:D I'll be off to update soon! Thanks so much for all your reviews and please continue to do so!!! Luv ya all ! Mwah!:D 


	18. Gone

**PART SEVENTEEN**

**_Gone_**

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****

_I was actually starting to suspect that something was up with Hermione and Malfoy. The incident at the Three Broomsticks wasn't something I could just ignore, especially when Malfoy told me to 'take care' of Hermione, like he was entrusting her safety to me. But then Malfoy went and dissed Hermione right in front of everyone at the Great Hall. The rumors about the two of them because of the Three Broomsticks scandal stopped dead after that, and everything went back to normal, because they felt that Malfoy was back to his slimy self again. I, however, couldn't just leave that thought behind, especially not when Hermione began sulking and being less her usual self. I was wondering why she was taking this too hard—Malfoy has _always, _and I mean _always,_ been finding ways to make us miserable for the past six years. Perhaps there was something that changed between them, and I actually blamed myself for being too preoccupied with my own problems that I barely had time to look out for my friends. I swore after that day that I would pay more attention to my friends and less attention to the problems I was experiencing, but then something happened that made me break that vow again, because that something made me hate Malfoy so much that I actually wanted to kill him—that event came during the third Quidditch match of the school year._

***

The heavy January snow that was still falling down the Hogwarts grounds matched Hermione's mood perfectly. After the way Malfoy had treated her, she started getting depressed almost every day, especially whenever she was within a five-mile radius of Malfoy, whether it be in class or anywhere else. Harry, who was now trying to spend as much time with Ron and Hermione (owing to the fact that Cho suggested he do so), found her behavior rather odd. He kept asking her what was wrong, and although she wouldn't tell him anything, he knew that it somehow had something to do with Malfoy, but he just couldn't quite place it yet. Ron nowadays usually spent more time with Hermione because she felt they've sort-of bonded even more on Christmas Day when he showed up and Harry didn't. Hermione felt more comfortable with him than she had before, and she was slowly starting to see parts of Ron she hadn't seen before—parts of him whenever he wasn't joking or fooling around or being a pain in the neck. Now Ron, too, sensed something was wrong, and he became harsher towards Malfoy ever since, glaring at him whenever he walked past. Ginny, on the other hand, was keeping really silent about it all; for even though she, too, wondered what had gotten into Malfoy, she couldn't judge him or hate him yet, because she herself witnessed how he professed his true love to Hermione that day before he left for the Manor.

"C'mon, Hermione…he _did_ tell you that he will always love you no matter what happens, right?" Ginny comforted one night in the Head Girl's room as Hermione cried herself on Ginny's shoulder. "And you promised him that you'll remember that. So fulfill your promise, okay? I'm sure there has to be a reason behind all this…"

Hermione _didn't_ forget the promise at all; in fact, it was the only thing that she was trying to hold on to. She knew Malfoy loved her, but she was finding it harder and harder to believe that with each passing day. Malfoy was back to his old obnoxious self, perhaps even worse. He wouldn't let a moment pass by without being mean to Hermione, or doing possibly everything to make it clear that he hated her with all his guts. Hermione was growing weak, and she couldn't find it in her heart to encourage herself, tell herself that he still loved her, and that he always would…because Malfoy never really did think of her again since the New Year started—her locket said so. That was why she became bitter, even more so because she knew that Pansy was back at Malfoy's side again. It almost seemed like the past months of passion and love and romance were all just a dream, a horrible dream that Hermione regretted having. She almost wished she never fell in love with Malfoy in the first place—it would surely save her all the pain she was feeling now.

"Cheer up, will you, Hermione? I swear I'm going to find a way to make Malfoy pay," Ron said crossly, waving his clenched fist as he sat down beside Hermione in the Gryffindor stands a week after the start of term. "I'm going to—to—" He looked at Harry beside him, who was cocking his eyebrow in a weird way at him. "I'm going to find a Skrewt and—and feed him to it!"

Ginny, who was sitting beside Hermione, burst out laughing. "Ron, do you honestly reckon that you can find one of those supposedly illegal Skrewts again after all these years? You can barely look for Scabbers whenever he would get lost in your room before, much less find a Skrewt. Plus, I doubt you can even get _near_ Malfoy, not with all the new Dark Magic he's rumored to have learned over the years."

"What _is_ it with girls and Malfoy, anyway??? He's got nothing to be proud of except his father's most probably smuggled money! He isn't even good-looking!" Ron exclaimed indignantly, and Seamus, sitting beside Harry, laughed even louder.

"Face it, Ron. You're just jealous that Malfoy knows a lot more hexes than you do," Dean commented, and Ginny turned to look at him beside her adoringly, as if he'd just saved the world and said the greatest words she'd ever heard.

Hermione sighed in amusement, slightly smiling now because of her friends' clowning around. "Enough about Dra—er—Malfoy now, okay? Let's just focus on Quidditch; the game's about to start." She pointed at the wide field, where the players from Ravenclaw and Slytherin were now lining up on either side of Madam Hooch with their broomsticks.

"Everyone play a fair game now, understood?" Madam Hooch said to all the players, especially eyeing Malfoy warningly. Hermione could see, as she stared at his face, that Malfoy was actually looking a tad bit nervous—even though she knew he'd always been practicing for the past months, this was Slytherin's first match for the seventh year, and so Malfoy probably did feel a few jitters, even if the opponent was Ravenclaw and not Gryffindor, their arch nemesis.

But still, after the players all agreed and Madam Hooch's glare at Malfoy was shifted to the Quaffle in her hand, Hermione noticed the nervous look on him begin to fade away, and it was replaced by a mischievous, even manic sparkle in his eyes. She knew that was _not_ good.

Everyone around her cheered as Madam Hooch blew her whistle and all fourteen players zoomed high into the air, the Chasers now aiming for the Quaffle, the Beaters eyeing the Bludgers, and the two Seekers scanning the whole field high above the ground for the Golden Snitch. Hermione glanced around her—Ron, Dean, Seamus and Ginny were all shouting and cheering, even more so as Ravenclaw Caroline Aileron swept the Quaffle past Keeper Shawn Peregrine and scored ten to zero. She noticed, too, that Harry was keeping silent, staring intently at Cho and her movements, as she competed with Malfoy in trying to spot the Snitch first.

Hermione shook her head so as not to let the fact that Harry cared too much for Cho get to her, and focused instead on Malfoy, who was frowning because Ravenclaw had scored right then again, with twenty to zero. He immediately zoomed across the field towards one of his Beaters Eric Polansky and started telling him something in a sort-of scolding way, and Hermione could almost read the words "hit", "Bludger", "idiot", and "off the team" from his lips. His Beater instantly flew towards a zigzagging Bludger and batted it forcefully towards the Quaffle-possessing Ravenclaw Chaser Ethan Dolores, who got hit right in the face. The Ravenclaw stands booed with all their might as Chaser Madeline Brown took hold of the Quaffle and scored past the distracted Ravenclaw Keeper: the score was now twenty to ten.

Hermione almost cheered as Malfoy gave his team a thumbs-up sign, but then wanted to slap her head. Why was she siding with Slytherin? She sighed and watched as Malfoy whizzed around the field again, Cho angrily—because of Ethan Dolores' injury—following his trail. Malfoy then stopped in mid-air and spun his broom around to face Cho, then as Cho neared him, Hermione saw Malfoy tell Cho something that Hermione couldn't quite make out, but it made Cho's eyes widen in anger. Malfoy laughed and sped away again, Cho even hotter on his trail. Hermione didn't know what Malfoy had told Cho, but it sure seemed to have infuriated her, because even though her broomstick couldn't quite catch up to Malfoy's Light Year Twenty Ten, she was chasing him around the field in rage, and Malfoy was smirking in amusement. If Hermione didn't know better, she'd think that Malfoy was up to something.

And he was. Because after a few more minutes of cat-and-mouse—as announcer Terry Boot of Ravenclaw had described it—Malfoy immediately stopped smirking and suddenly rocketed down the field past all the Chasers and Beaters in sheer determination. The Slytherin stands began to cheer in anticipation while the Ravenclaw stands shouted words of encouragement to a very intent-to-beat-Malfoy-to-the-Snitch Cho.

But the thing was, Hermione couldn't see the Snitch anywhere.

"No," Harry whispered to himself, and Hermione watched as he stood up abruptly in sudden alarm. "Cho, no!" He cried out loud, leaning against the rails in desperate attempt to make Cho hear him.

But she couldn't. Because she started going even faster towards Malfoy, who was now nearing the ground. Hermione scanned the fields and tried to drown out all the growing cheers of excitement around her and Harry's continuous shouts without avail so that she could concentrate on finding the Snitch. And then she found it—it was hovering right above the Slytherin stands. Her eyes widened as Malfoy and Cho sped down the ground, and then she opened her mouth and screamed along with everyone else.

It all happened so fast. Cho had been chasing Malfoy down the ground with the speed of lightning, and in a second, all the girls were gasping, all the boys were yelling out angry swear words, all the Ravenclaws were protesting in horror, all the Slytherins were cheering in admiration, Terry Boot was creating a rampage.

And Cho was lying in a tangled, dislocated heap, her broomstick on the ground miles away from her, her blood oozing out from her arms and legs, her cries of intolerable pain ringing out all over the field to the horror of everyone who was not in Slytherin. 

Malfoy had performed the Victor Krum Quidditch original—the Wronski Feint.

"NO!!! WHAT AN INCREDIBLY DECEPTIVE STUNT TO PULL!!! THAT FILTHY, CHEATING LOWLIFE EXCUSE OF A WIZARD SHOULDN'T BE ALLOWED TO EXECUTE ANY OF THOSE MOVES!!!" Terry Boot commented out loud in angry disapproval through his "Sonorus"-influenced commentary. "MADAM HOOCH SHOULD DEFINITELY FOUL OUT SEEKER DRACO MALFOY AT ONCE!!!"

All eyes were fixed on Malfoy, who went whooshing up again in incredible speed, just in time to catch the Snitch above the Slytherin stands—he'd known it was there all along. His team immediately gathered around him in boastful pride at their Seeker and all the Slytherins started cheering in triumph. Slytherin had won by a hundred and sixty points.

"CHO!!!" Harry screamed beside Ron and Hermione, and she turned her head back at him just in time to see him shove his hand into his pocket and pull out his wand. Hermione's eyes widened—she knew exactly what Harry was planning to do.

In a split second, she, along with Ron, had grabbed Harry's hands and were both trying to contain him, but it was no easy task as Harry was jerking away and flailing his arms for release in a mixture of infuriated worry. "Damn it!!! Let go of me!!!" he cried out, not seeming to realize who were holding him back. "LET ME GO!!!"

"Harry, calm down!!!" cried Ginny, who had also tried pulling Harry back into his seat with Dean and Seamus' help. "Harry!!! Please—"

"I'll kill him!!!" Harry was screaming, twisting his arms in his struggle to break free with all his might. "I swear I'LL KILL HIM!!!" In one strong tug he had managed to get loose from Hermione's grip, and had jerked his elbow in the direction of Ron's face, who stumbled in pain back into his seat. Harry pushed everyone out of his way in his rage, his eyes burning with resentment as he gripped his wand tightly and made his way down the stands to the grounds where Malfoy was now standing with his teammates. 

_I'll punch that damn grin right out of his bloody face!_ Harry thought as he reached the ground and neared the center of the field. _I'll strangle him, choke him, squeeze the life out of him, and make him pay so bad he'll—_

But all of a sudden Harry's mutilating thoughts were cut off. Terry Boot stopped dead in his continuous Slytherin-bashing, the crowd suddenly fell silent, the teachers running out towards the field froze, and Madam Hooch stopped arguing with the Ravenclaw team that what Malfoy had done was unfortunately legal.

Because Cho, tremendously injured and badly distorted in the center of the wide grounds, stopped moaning and actually tried to sit up. Harry, and even Malfoy, suddenly froze as they saw Cho's tear-stricken face turn to look at Harry in agony and silent plea. She opened her mouth with all the remaining effort she could muster, and Harry felt like the world would crumble down right then as he read her trembling lips.

"H-Harry…"

She was calling out to him. She was crying out for him, and he could see the plea in her eyes, as if they were telling him, "Don't do this; don't do this." Harry's eyes welled up in angry tears at Malfoy, and in loving ones at Cho. He gritted his teeth and ran towards her, kneeling down beside her in complete disregard of his earlier intentions to stomp the living hell out of Malfoy. Harry took one look up-close at Cho's heavily injured body and almost couldn't help but burst into tears. He laid his hand behind her head and took her hand in the other, swallowing heavily as he looked down at her face glistening with tears.

"Hey," he whispered lovingly at her, and she smiled sadly as she struggled to speak. "Harry…I'll be okay…it's just—just a few scratches—I was so stupid—to have fallen for that trick—"

Cho cried out again as another wave of pain surged through her, and Harry gripped her hand even tighter. His eyes immediately flicked up to give Malfoy the lividest stare ever. "Damn you…" he whispered to him in a voice of deathly calm.

It was at that moment that Hermione, still leaning over in the stands with the horrible scene unfolding right before her, knew that the Draco Malfoy standing out there in the field was no longer the man she once loved.

Her Draco was gone.

***

_I had never hated anyone so much in my entire life. Cho didn't get into a coma, but she had to stay in the hospital wing to recover for more than a whole month, unable to speak well, to sit up, to move much, and to attend any of her classes. She was stuck in bed all the time, and even though I always spent every possible hour sitting beside her bed, trying to comfort her, and spending the night there as well, it still wasn't enough for me. Malfoy…damn Malfoy…he was given detention, he was scolded like hell, and he was forbidden to use the stupid stunt again in his entire Hogwarts life, but that, too, wasn't enough for me. Every turn I took, and every time I saw him, he still had that damn smirk on his face, and with that, I wanted to shout it out to the world that it all wasn't fair. Cho was lying half-dead in a hospital bed, for goodness' sake! And what did Malfoy get? A stupid detention that wouldn't even teach him a lesson if it hit him right in the face. I wanted so bad to make him suffer…I wanted so bad to bring Cho to justice…I wanted so bad to make Malfoy pay. But all that hatred blinded me to the truth, a truth that would have prevented all the horrible things that would happen much later on in the year to occur, if only I had seen it._


	19. The Last Task

**PART EIGHTEEN**

**_The Last Task_**

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****

_Oh, crap_, Malfoy thought to himself, frowning at the itchy leaves sticking out all over the place at him as he crouched down lower onto the ground behind the tall grasses of the Forbidden Forest. He lifted his illuminated wand up to see through the almost impenetrable shadows of the thick trees, thankful, at least, that even though he was out here in the chilly and wet grounds, the snow had stopped falling as it entered into February. It made it easier to see through everything that was blocking his vision in the darkness tonight.

He shifted in his hidden position again as he got another itch, and he cursed his father silently for putting him through this. His father had chosen tonight as the so-called "perfect time" to finally get his final task done, but although he knew that his father had made a foolproof set-up, he was starting to trust it lesser and lesser by the minute. He'd been hiding out here in the dark for about twenty minutes now, and still his victim wasn't here yet. His father really did have a way of making Malfoy's life as miserable as possible.

Sighing, he shook his head again but suddenly froze, because he heard a faint snapping of branches and crunching of leaves someplace near through the silence of the night. He gripped his lighted wand tighter and closer to him to add to the glow the full moon was providing him, and after a few more minutes of listening to the snaps and creaks, Malfoy saw a solitary figure walk into the clearing he'd long been staring at behind the bushes. Malfoy narrowed his eyes as the figure stopped walking, and he squinted to see whom it was his father had chosen.

He rolled his eyes.

Justin Finch-Fletchley was out there in the clearing, standing as still as stone, his eyes hooded, and his gaze fixed in a dazed trance. Lucius had decided to use the Imperius Curse on him to get him to sneak out the castle and enter the Forbidden Forest smack in the dead of midnight so that no one would know and no one would interfere. But then all of a sudden, Justin instantly shook his head and came to his senses, looking around in horror at where he was unknowingly brought. Lucius probably stopped the Imperius Curse from the Manor where he was controlling him so that Justin could witness the terrible tragedy that would soon fall upon him. Malfoy almost felt sorry for Justin. Lucius was truly a sadistic bastard.

Malfoy watched stealthily as Justin looked around all nervous and fidgety and most probably just realizing that he was in the Forbidden Forest, with no one else around to save him. Malfoy carefully tried to keep hidden as best as he could; after all, he didn't want Justin to see him and ruin everything. Besides, that was only what he was out here for, anyway. As a spectator.

And, just when Justin was about to run aimlessly just to get out of there, a low, growling sound broke through the crickets right on cue. Justin's face went deathly pale and he went rigid. Another growl suggested that the creature was getting closer, and soon, heavy paw thumps could be heard from where they were. Malfoy grinned as Justin backed up against a tree, his eyes darting back and forth in alarm and caution. Then, out of the woods and into the clearing, it appeared. 

The enormous, rabid werewolf his father had arranged to get his dirty job done. 

Malfoy almost felt like running away himself as he stared at the long, white fangs that the werewolf bared when it saw the trembling Justin across from it, and when it finally growled a whole lot louder, Justin screamed and freaked out. Malfoy took a step back behind the bushes as he watched Justin whiz past him, the werewolf hot on his trail. Malfoy straightened up and made a move on as well, following Justin's cries for help from afar. He knew he wasn't supposed to make his appearance yet, not until the werewolf had done its job and silenced Justin, but as he broke through the forest with the horrible scene of Justin running like crazy for his life in frantic fear, he felt the urge to stop it all and help him. He couldn't stand the look on Justin's tear-stricken face when the werewolf made a long but unsuccessful reach for him with its heavily clawed paws. He couldn't help but feel that this was all wrong, and that his father was insane to sacrifice Justin and use him—not to mention make him innocently suffer a brutal and painful death—just so Malfoy could get his blood as a last ingredient for the Dark Mark that the Dark Lord would burn into him. It wasn't right. It wasn't human.

Malfoy stopped running and tried to catch his breath away from view when Justin paused as well, having lost the werewolf somewhere. Justin leaned back against a tree again, tears rolling down his cheeks silently, and Malfoy couldn't blame him. He was innocent, and he didn't deserve to wake up and find himself being chased by an untamed werewolf going for his life. Malfoy could see that Justin now had bruises and scratches, most probably due to his constant tripping and all the pointy branches that came his way while he was being chased. And that was just about all Malfoy could take. To hell with his final task. To hell with his father.

"Hey," he said casually, emerging from the trees he was hiding behind. "Are you okay?" He approached the shocked Justin, who jumped about a hundred miles away from him when he saw him. Poor guy; he must've been too traumatized.

"M-M-Malfoy?" Justin stuttered nervously, clutching the stitch in his chest. "What are you d-doing here?"

He shrugged. "Let's just say I went for a nighttime stroll." He reached out and touched Justin's shoulder, annoyed at his own conscience telling him to be concerned. "You haven't answered my question."

"I'm f-fine," Justin replied disbelievingly at Malfoy's 'nighttime stroll' excuse, still panting, eyes still paranoid. "L-Listen, there's no time to explain, but we have to get out of here as quickly as possible; t-there's a…a mad w-werewolf out there somewhere, and it—"

"I know," Malfoy cut him off. "Are you sure you're—"

"Wait a minute," Justin's eyes widened in even more horror, if that were possible. "How d-did you _know_ there was a werewolf in here; you don't l-looked harassed s-so it couldn't have chased _you_…and y-you couldn't have h-heard its growl b-because it growls just like every creature does and y-you couldn't have distinguished it…s-so…how…"

Malfoy cocked his eyebrow in surprise at what Justin was saying. The guy was smart; he had to admit. It looked like this was going to be a lot harder than he thought.

All of a sudden Justin jerked his shoulder away from Malfoy's grasp and took a step back in fear at _him_ now. "_You're_ behind all this, aren't you! I should've known you're up to no good again! I don't know why you're doing this, but I swear it'll come back to you a thousand fold!"

Malfoy rolled his eyes as Justin continued to rant. What a loud-mouthed idiot. Malfoy really should have stayed hidden where he was and let the werewolf find Justin. Sometimes, he was just too nice for his own good.

But Justin wasn't even finished yet. And to think that he should've stayed quiet because the werewolf might find him. "…you really _are_ a bad seed! That's what everyone says and it's true! I'll tell everyone! And when Harry hears about this, he'll—"

That did it. Malfoy immediately pointed his wand at Justin. "_Locomoto Mortis!_" And Justin's legs locked together, causing him to stop blabbering and fall flat on his face. 

"_You're_ not going anywhere, Finch-Fletchley. I came out here to save your sorry butt, and this is the thanks I get? You run to your precious Saint Potter and tell on me? Well, no thanks," Malfoy smirked at him. "Tell you what. I _was_ going to get you out of here, but since you're doing a great job repaying me, I'll let you stay here for the night instead and let that werewolf have you for its midnight snack. How's that sound?"

Justin glared at him from the ground where he was lying down. "You'll pay for this, Malfoy. Somehow you will. I know what you're up to and I _will_ tell—"

"Look, Justin. I honestly don't want that rampaging werewolf to get to you any more than I want to be a Mudblood, and trust me, I don't want to Petrify you. But if I have to, you _know_ I will, so I suggest you shut up so that I can get you the hell out of here and back up the castle, safe and sound. And yes, I admit that I'm in on this stupid scheme and I've changed my mind about it so I'm taking you back unscathed, but I _will_ leave that werewolf to chomp down every pathetic piece of your puny body if you go rattling this out to everybody." He looked at him meaningfully. "So the deal is, you tell anyone, you die. Simple."

"You're the most disgusting person on earth!" Justin went on, although now Malfoy sensed a great fear in his tone, and he knew that his threat worked. "You're foul, you're evil, you're—"

"_Petrificus Totalus!_"

And Justin finally shut up.

Malfoy sighed, looking down at the Petrified Justin on the ground. Justin was supposed to serve as the werewolf's target so that it would tear him down and Malfoy would collect Justin's Mudblood blood essential for the Dark Mark's last ingredient, which would finally finish his final task, but seeing how Justin was so pathetic, Malfoy didn't have the heart to take his blood. He wanted to leave him alone. It was too bad he had to Petrify him like this. 

He shook his head. _I'm sorry, but you asked for it_, he thought, staring at the Mudblood's rigid form. He lit his wand again and looked around him. Where _had_ that werewolf gone? It couldn't have transformed back into a man; the moon was still out in the dark sky, clearer and fuller than ever. Why couldn't he hear the growls anymore?

He looked back down at Justin, and started having second thoughts. He didn't know why, but he honestly did want to save him; he didn't want him to get hurt for some reason. He felt like he didn't deserve to be fed to a creature just because Malfoy needed his Mudblood blood. And he didn't want to hurt him either. Damn, what was wrong with him?

He raised his right hand and stared at the bandage on it. It didn't hurt, so he knew he wasn't straying from his task; at least, not yet. He knew he couldn't bear to hurt Justin for his own selfish purposes, and that made him decide on what he had to do.

He turned around abruptly and started looking for the werewolf, clutching his wand in determination. He knew it was no ordinary one; a simple Homorphus Charm couldn't turn it back to its human form. But, with all the hexes and jinxes he'd learned all his life, he believed he could somehow take it down so that it wouldn't hurt anybody anymore.

What his father had set up for him was wrong. And he wasn't just going to sit around and do his father's sick bidding.


	20. That Truth Be Told

**PART NINETEEN**

**_That Truth Be Told_**

****

****

"Rise and shine…"

Cho slowly and painfully opened her eyes upon hearing the gentle voice that had whispered beside her, and the moment she did, a pair of soft blue-green eyes peered into her. She smiled comfortably upon seeing Harry's face, finding the soothing peace and tranquility of the hospital wing perfect to match the way she was feeling.

Which was, after staying in bed for more than a month, never better.

"Hey," she whispered croakily, scooting over a bit on her bed so that Harry could sit beside her. "What time is it?"

"It's lunch break," Harry replied, stroking her hair lovingly. "And I have great news."

Cho smiled. "The final match has been cancelled and Gryffindor has won the Quidditch Cup?" she joked.

"I wish," chuckled Harry. "My news is way better than that, though. Guess what."

Cho took a deep breath of the cool fresh breeze gently blowing through the curtains and sighed. "I don't really need the great news…having you here with me is more than I can ever ask for."

Harry smiled at her touching words and bent down to kiss her forehead. He whispered, "Madam Pomfrey told me you're conditioned to leave the hospital wing now."

Cho's eyes widened. "Really…?"

Harry nodded, and Cho grinned, struggling to sit up in her anticipation to leave. Harry shuffled out of bed and took her hand, supporting her and helping her get off. When she was finally standing on the floor, he kissed her hand and she smiled at him.

"Thank you for staying with me all this time…" she said. Harry, though, wasn't able to reply because Madam Pomfrey entered right at that moment.

"Oh, wonderful," she exclaimed, hurrying over and supporting Cho, which made Harry drop her hand because Madam Pomfrey was all over her now. "Come on, Cho; I'll get you all prepped up to go…" And she started leading her out of there, blabbing away about all the medicines she needed to take.

Cho looked back at Harry and gave him an amused what-can-you-do look, and Harry gave her a small wave as she left with the nurse. Harry smiled. Madam Pomfrey really did tend to fuss over everything.

Having been left alone in the silent room, hearing nothing but the chirping of the birds outside and the soft breath of the wind, Harry shoved his hands into his robe pockets and turned to the bed beside the one where Cho had been. The bed was empty and the curtains were drawn back, but it hadn't been that way when he was startled awake last night…

"Harry?"

He ignored the familiar voice that called him and continued to stare at Cho's neighboring bed, sensing the person walking closer. When the footsteps stopped right beside him, the person spoke again. "You're not thinking about that again, are you?"

"I can't help it, Ron," Harry addressed his friend, still staring at the empty bed. "I can't seem to get the image off my mind."

"That can do permanent damage to your brain, you know," Ron said, looking at the bed as well. "Staring at that bed will make you think _you're_ a bed, too."

Harry chuckled at the joke, though half-heartedly. "I keep recalling how I was woken up by that long howl outside the grounds while I was sleeping on the chair beside Cho. And the next thing I knew was that Madam Pomfrey was rushing somebody in on a stretcher, McGonagall and Dumbledore right beside her. I had to get up and see what was going on; they kept on whispering and murmuring to each other right beside Cho's bed and I didn't want them waking her up. And now I wish I hadn't gone and asked what had happened."

Ron shook his head. "C'mon, Harry; it wasn't your fault. For the first time ever, you had nothing to do with it."

"I know, but that's probably what's bothering me the most. That it didn't concern me, and therefore I couldn't do anything about it," answered Harry. "Dumbledore told me that he'd let me in on it if I promised I would go to sleep and stop pestering…and he told me Justin was found under the Leg-Locker Curse _and_ the Full Body Bind right outside the Forbidden Forest…and they had no idea how that had happened…"

"Harry—"

"It was terrible," Harry went on, "the way Justin was lying still on this bed when I saw him…all the horror rushed through me…all the worry…all the feelings of not being able to understand what was going on…and for a moment I—I felt like it was my second year at Hogwarts all over again…"

An uncomfortable silence filled the room once again right after that, as the two of them continued to look down at the empty bed. Then, Ron placed a comforting hand on Harry's shoulder. "Harry, listen. These things happen, okay? We can't just keep having the good things pour in on us all the time; there had to be something like this that's bound to occur. But the good thing is, that Justin's safe now, and so is Cho. They've made it through, just like _you've_ made it through during the tragedies of our second year. Sooner or later we'll get to the bottom of this like we always do, so don't go brooding over all this rubbish!" He gave his shoulder a little encouraging squeeze. "Have you forgotten that you've got the Amazing Hermione Granger and the Incredible Ron Weasley by your side?"

At this, Harry finally looked at Ron. He grinned. "You make a great pep talker, you know that? Ever think of taking Oliver Wood's long-empty place?"

Ron grinned as well. "_That's_ the Harry I came here for," he patted his back. "Now let's get outta here; Hermione's waiting for us at Hagrid's hut. If we don't hurry, she might hog all the treacle fudge to herself. You wouldn't want _that_, would you?"

***

Hermione sighed, looking absently out the window of Hagrid's hut in a daze. She couldn't help it; her mind was at a complete loss. Nothing was ever right again the moment the new term began, what with the tutoring cancelled, Malfoy hurting her all over again, Cho getting mortally injured, and Harry wanting to kill Malfoy for it. She was, however, getting to spend more time with Ron nowadays, but that wasn't enough to drive the deep pain in her heart away, even with Ron trying to cheer her up all the time. 

Falling in love with Malfoy was no easy task. He made her confused and caused her a lot of sleepless nights when her attraction towards him began. Then, he gave her the greatest pleasure anyone had ever given her that night when she gave herself away to him. Her happiest days went by, and then she was confused again because she felt that she was falling in love with him. But he made up for confusing her because he professed his love for her as well, and did a very good job reminding her of it that night in her room. And then all of a sudden, he was back to being the insensitive Slytherin she'd grown to know, leaving only a mere promise that what he felt for her was true. How was she supposed to feel? How was she supposed to react? Was he really just running her around as his pawn? Was he just toying with her emotions, and watching with satisfaction as she drove herself crazy?

Did he really mean for all this to happen all along…?

At this thought, Hermione found herself frowning, and all the pain within her was slowly turning to hate. She should've known this would happen. He had always been up to no good, and she should've known Malfoy was never going to change. She should've known.

She should've known.

"Hermione…?"

She looked abruptly away from the window and shook her head, facing Hagrid, who was holding up a pot of tea. "Are yeh alrigh'? Yeh've bin starin' at me window fer hours."

"Oh!" Hermione cleared her throat and straightened up in her seat across from Hagrid at the table. "I-I'm sorry, Hagrid…I was just…er…waiting for Harry and Ron to arrive."

Hagrid looked disbelieving, but rode on with her nonetheless. "Don' yeh worry so much. I reck'n they'll be 'ere any minute now…"

And at that moment, they heard a light shuffling sound out Hagrid's back door. Hagrid grinned. "See?"

Both of them stood up and made their way to the back door to open it, but when Hermione was just about to say "it's about time", the two of them froze when they saw whom it was through the window.

Malfoy was standing there not too far outside Hagrid's hut, his back to them, talking quietly to someone. And from the way he was moving, Hermione somehow knew that he was _not_ comfortable with the conversation at all.

Hagrid and Hermione looked at each other questioningly, and Hermione moved closer to the window.

"Herm—" Hagrid began, but was cut off when Hermione raised her finger in a "shh" sign. She peeked out even more, and saw that Malfoy was talking to none other than his father.

"…Hogsmeade trip in March," Lucius was saying, giving Malfoy an intimidating look. Malfoy merely nodded his reply, and the two of them started to walk away. Malfoy looked up from the ground and into Hagrid's hut and Hermione ducked her head back down, her heart pounding, hoping against hope that Malfoy hadn't seen her eavesdropping.

It was then that three short knocks here heard on Hagrid's front door, followed by Harry's muffled voice, "Hagrid? Hermione?"

"Comin'," Hagrid replied, still looking at Hermione on the ground weirdly. He opened the front door and Harry and Ron stepped inside.

"Hermione?" Ron asked, staring at her crouched on the ground. "Are you trying out a new Quidditch stunt or something?"

Hermione blushed and got up. "Er—nothing, Ron. I was just…checking Hagrid's floor for…cockroaches."

"Oh, and make a living making Cockroach Clusters," Ron laughed at his own joke, sitting down at Hagrid's table beside Harry. Hermione stuck her tongue out at him and sat down across from them.

Hagrid shook his head. "Hermione was jus' eavesdroppin' on Malfoy an' his father a while ago," he grinned, setting down the teapot and winking at Hermione. "She's bin checkin' Malfoy out a lot lately, if yeh ask me…"

"_Hagrid!_" Hermione whined, giving him an evil look, but blushing as well and hoping Harry and Ron wouldn't notice.

Hagrid laughed. "Just jokin', just jokin'," he sat down beside her. "Altho' Malfoy an' his father were talkin' mighty seriously, mind…" he turned to look at Harry. "So! I heard summat 'ere has a problem wit Malfoy. I'm tellin' yeh, Harry; yeh best not go lukin' fer him. That boy's nuthin' but trouble, I tell yeh, an' his father is—"

"I hate Malfoy with all my guts, Hagrid," Harry cut in, making Hermione feel thankful that Hagrid's Malfoy-bashing was cut off but hurt as well that Harry admitted his hatred for him. "He's done enough damage with my friends for the past six years and what he did to Cho is unforgivable. But a person can only take so much hatred, Hagrid. My patience has a limit. I've tolerated him long enough."

"Yeh can' say that!" Hagrid exclaimed. "Yeh've always had sumthin' good in yeh, Harry! That's wha' makes yeh so differen'! Yer not gonna sink to his level an'—"

"I'm so _sick_ and _tired_ of being so damn forbearing all the time!" Harry raised his voice, slamming his fist on the table and making Hermione jump back in her seat. "Malfoy hasn't done a _single_ good thing for as long as I've known him! All he ever does is hurt other people, and did he ever get a taste of his own medicine??? Not _once_ did he ever pay!!! And I'm _personally_ going to make sure he _does!_"

The whole hut fell silent, with the exception of Fang whimpering, having been woken up by Harry's outburst. Hermione stared at Harry in shock. What had gotten into him? Was Malfoy's performance at the Quidditch match really the last straw for Harry? A while back she was starting to hate Malfoy as well, but now it was all she could do to keep from shouting back and defending Malfoy as best she could.

"Great Scott, Harry…" Hagrid commented, still staring at him. 

"If it were me I would've grabbed anything around me and stabbed Malfoy right through the heart that day on the Quidditch field," Ron said slowly. "But that's just the difference between you and me, Harry…you know how to act, and when to act…" he patted Harry's back. "I never thought I'd say this, but I'm actually glad you're not like me, and I really appreciate all the times you've held me back from losing my patience. I just wish you'd take your own advice right now, Harry…"

Harry sighed regretfully and buried his face into his hands, rubbing his temples and looking awfully stressed. "I'm sorry…" he muttered.

At this, Hermione smiled and reached out to hold his hand. "It's okay, Harry…we understand…but…we know there's something you're not telling us. Something you've been keeping to yourself," she said, tucking away the guilty feeling of knowing that she, too, was keeping something from them. "So just tell us what it is, and let us share the reason why you hate Malfoy so much…" she bit her lip and tried to erase all thoughts of Malfoy and focus on her friend, at least for now.

Harry sighed even more, and this time, he looked up at his two best friends, and at Hagrid, who was still in shock at his sudden flare-up. "I'm sorry…" he repeated. "And yes, there _is_ something I've been meaning to tell you…I kept trying to find the right time to say this, but maybe I've delayed it long enough." He took a deep breath. "The truth is, I've been having…_nightmares_ recently…visions that I see at random times these days…"  

Ron looked weirdly at Harry. "Visions?"

"Yeah…" At this, Harry finally began telling them everything, all that he had seen through the flashes of blurred images that he was being shown at random times. He told him every detail, every feeling, every emotion…and how long he'd kept this from them and how much he'd been meaning to reveal everything.

When Harry finished narrating his sixth vision, Hermione dropped Harry's hand and covered her mouth with it. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. After all this time, Harry had kept this from them? All Harry's moodiness, his restlessness, his sudden outbursts and his moments of exhaustion…it all made sense now…it all fit perfectly. It was no wonder Harry was taking the parchment from Godric so seriously, and no wonder Cho's accident was especially painful for him because he knew that something bad was going to happen…

Was Cho's accident the 'at stake' indication that the scroll was talking about…? Or was it merely a sample, to give them all a taste of what was about to come…?

She stared at Harry, more transfixed than ever.

Hagrid, too, was just as shocked. "I had no idea…" he mumbled. "Yeh should've told us earlier, Harry! Why did yeh hold it back?"

Harry sighed for the millionth time. "I was afraid I'd let you all in on the fear and worry I was feeling…the anxiety of knowing that Voldemort's got something to do with this…that he's about to make something terrible happen that's never happened before…" He looked at them all. "I didn't want to add to your own problems and burden you with mine…"

"Harry…" Hermione stood up, reached across the table and gave him a comforting hug. Harry let her hug him, and she closed her eyes and they stayed that way in silence as Ron joined them in a group hug. Hermione swallowed. She had no idea, that Harry was suffering this much…and all she was doing was fooling around with Malfoy, and worse, keeping it all hushed up. And now that she had problems with him, she couldn't stop moping because of it. Why couldn't she stay focused on her friends again…? First Ron, and now Harry…why did she have to be so wrapped up in her own worries?

_This is all Malfoy's fault_, she thought bitterly. _He and his deceptions…I should've known he would never change. Once a brat, always a brat…_

She bit her lip and sniffed, holding back a sob and fighting back her tears. It hurt her like hell to finally admit that Malfoy was, and had always been, an awful person all along…but it was the truth, and the truth always hurt.

Hermione took a deep breath and sighed. No matter how much it hurt, it was time.

It was time to get over him.

It was time to move on.

***

                "I cannot believe I lasted this long. All these years…I've wasted it all on being such a ludicrous idiot. And now that so much has happened and the times have changed, there is no possible way for me to tuck it all away and ignore it forever…

                "I've loved her for so long, and I've watched her from afar all my life…and in all the years I've known her it never even occurred to me that I might have been falling…until it was too late. It is our seventh year now. Time flies so fast and we barely even notice it. February is about to end, and the next thing we know we'd be cramming for the finals. Pretty soon we'd all be clutching our diplomas, crying bittersweet tears of success and parting…saying goodbye once and for all…

                "And even so I cannot find the courage within me. I cannot bring myself to say how I truly feel, how I long for her each day, how I bask in the light of her heavenly glow, how I find bliss in the sparkle of her eyes, how I could take in the warmth of her smile and die a content death…god, I'm pathetic. I dream of her every night and I long for her with each waking hour, yet I tremble at the thought of having to confess my feelings for her. I fear not the rejection—for I have long accepted that it is inevitable—but what I fear is the connection I might lose with her if I bare my heart and soul. If by my actions she drifts away from me, then my life will lose all worth and meaning. There simply is no other way for me to live.

                "And so I curse myself. I curse myself for being the fool that I am, not to have seen this coming. I curse myself for being so faint-hearted, for allowing myself to fall so easily and so willingly. I curse myself for all the days that have passed me by, demanding that I forget her, or beckoning me to tell her how I feel. I curse myself hour after hour…because that is what I am. A curse.

                "And so long as my heart knows nothing but her name, I shall remain a curse forever."

Ron instinctively shoved his journal under his pillow the moment he heard Harry enter their dormitory. He knew that the covers were draped around his bed, but still he threw the covers over himself and pretended to be asleep.

"Ron?" Harry whispered among the silence of their sleeping roommates, and Ron noted once again the exasperated tone in his voice. "You asleep yet?"

Ron figured that Harry probably needed someone to talk to right now, and was probably aware that Ron was only pretending to be asleep, so he replied softly, "I couldn't. What's up? You okay?"

"Yeah, I guess," came Harry's reply, and Ron saw through his curtains that Harry tiredly climbed onto the empty bed beside him. "I know I told you guys that I think Malfoy's somehow related to it all and that's why I hate him all the more, but I keep thinking that I shouldn't have revealed my…er…" he looked around at their friends, who very well appeared be completely sound asleep. "…visions," he continued. "I didn't want to burden you guys or anything…"

Ron smiled. "C'mon, Harry; I, for one, am glad you think Malfoy's the jerk in all your visions. And it's no biggie. If anything, we're grateful that you told us. This way, we can sort it all out just like we always do. Don't worry about it, okay?"

It took a few minutes for Harry to answer. "Okay. Thanks a lot, Ron. Even though I've been sulking around and hating Malfoy even more than you do, you've been bloody supportive of me for the past few weeks…you always were." Harry snuggled into bed. "Thanks."

"Hey, what are friends for?" Ron smiled and decided to hit the sack as well. He leaned back against his pillows, when Harry spoke up again.

"Oh, and Ron?"

"Yeah?"

"I strongly suggest that you tell her. If anything happens, she would want to know, and I'm sure you wouldn't be able to live knowing that she was the one that got away, whether she returns the affection or not. G'night."

Ron's eyes widened and he turned to look at Harry. "How'd you—" But Harry was already sleeping, his back to him.

Ron sighed, shaking his head. Whichever way he looked at it, Harry was right. He lay back down on his pillow and smiled again.

_What are friends for…_

_***_

_I'd been debating on whether or not to tell my friends about all that I'd seen, but now that I'd actually told them, another vision swept past me so quickly that night that it was shocking. My seventh vision was straight and simple, and it confirmed my doubts about Malfoy being concerned in it all. I was back in the forest where I had first seen the words, "A New Power Shall Rise Again". And there, in the middle of a clearing, was Malfoy himself, standing there, staring at me. At first I had wanted to ask him what he was doing, but then something—or someone—came up behind him. That someone gave me the most sinister smile I had ever seen in my life. That someone was Voldemort himself._

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Wow!!! It's been, what, three months or something? OMIGAWD!!!! I'm the laziest being alive!!! I can't believe that the third movie's about to be released and I'm not even done with this fic yet!!! I'm just glad that school's out in my country already and I'll finally be able to get to work on this ficcy :D I hope I can still get back your long-strayed attentions ^.^ I promise I won't take too long to update this time!!! AT LEAST one chapter every two weeks!!! YEAH!!!!

Er…I know it's not much, but compared to my previous gaps in updates, it's a big change^.^ Thanks everyone and please keep R&R-ing!!!


	21. The Wonderful World of Eavesdropping

**PART TWENTY**

**_The Wonderful World of Eavesdropping_**

****

****

"Can I talk to you for a sec?"

Hermione looked up from the floor and spotted Ginny, falling in step beside her as they made their way to the Quidditch stands one morning. She clutched her books tighter to her chest, wondering whether or not she'd allow herself some company. She really wasn't in a talking mood right now, what with her promise to herself that she would concentrate on trying to hate Malfoy with all her guts again. And because after their small group hug at Hagrid's hut the other day Harry said that he somehow believed that his visions all point to Malfoy and his conniving deceptions, she now vowed to herself more than ever to _really_ hate Malfoy.

"Please? I won't take long, if you need some space or anything," Ginny pleaded, searching her face for an answer.

Hermione sighed. "No, it's okay, Ginny. We can talk if you like." It was time to put things back the way they were. Lift up the heavy cloud and the damp mood—go back to hating Malfoy like before.

"Great," Ginny smiled. "Listen, I know you're all worked up about Malfoy—" Hermione cringed at the mention of his name, "—these days, but there's just something I want to ask you."

They stepped into the stadium and started climbing the Gryffindor stands. "What about?" Hermione asked, raising her voice a bit amidst the noisy hustle and bustle of the students prepping up for the match.

"It's about—" Ginny paused and looked around her. She leaned close to Hermione's ear and whispered. "It's about Dean."

Hermione looked at her in shock, and Ginny blushed at this. They shuffled with the crowd until they found their seats and settled down. "Has he done anything to you?"

"No!" Ginny immediately snapped, then regained herself. "I mean, it's just that, I think I'm starting to, you know, _really_ like him."

"Ginny, everyone knows that you like him," Hermione said, subconsciously scanning the fields for any sign of Malfoy, but stopping herself. "We just like to keep quiet about it. We barely mention it or tease you about it because we didn't want to make a fuss."

"Well, the thing is, I…" Ginny blushed again. "I have this _really_ strong suspicion that he likes me, too."

Hermione craned her neck to look for Malfoy again, then shook her head. _Hate Malfoy, Hermione; hate Malfoy. _She turned to Ginny. "Really? That's so great for you, Ginny…"

"Thanks," she smiled. "So what do I do?"

"What do you do?" Hermione repeated. "Well, nothing more, I guess…if things are going great then just go with it and enjoy the moment…" she trailed off, remembering the blissful days of love she'd spent with Malfoy. And now that it was all over, she actually regretted being so submissive to him. "But…don't get too carried away with your emotions…regret is one of the most difficult things to experience…"

Ginny's eyes softened in concern and sympathy for her. She took her hand and gave it a comforting squeeze. "I'm sorry, Hermione…it will all work out in the end somehow…I know it will…I promise."

Hermione gave her a genuine smile. "Thanks, but hey, I actually think I'm starting to get over him. I hate him with all my guts." _Even though I'm just saying that,_ she added. "Let's just…enjoy the game. And if something _does_ happen between you and Dean, I want _every_ detail, okay?"

Ginny bobbed her head and laughed. "You got it!"

At that moment, Terry Boot's voice boomed across the field. "Ladies and gentlemen!!! Welcome to the third Quidditch match of the season!!!"

***

Malfoy tugged on his black leather gloves and repeated the action of closing and opening his fist, as if trying to make sure that the gloves were a perfect fit. He flexed his right hand, staring at it for a moment, wondering why on earth his cut hadn't hurt at all since the start of term. He hadn't exactly been Little Boy Obedient. He figured his father had finally decided that the ends would justify the means—meaning as long as he would get his Dark Mark as soon as possible, the means wouldn't really matter.

He took a step closer to the entrance to the field and cringed as his knees gave way, almost making him stumble had he not grabbed on to his broomstick at the last minute to support his weight.

"You okay, Captain…?" Eric Polansky asked him, eyeing his weak position in concern.

"Don't tell me you're getting all jelly-kneed now," the other Beater, Ted Conkram, joked.

Malfoy flashed him a menacing look and Ted stiffened. "What the hell is there to be jelly-kneed about with _this_ kind of opponent?" he snapped, straightening himself. _Damn_, he cursed inwardly, glaring down at his legs as if they would start functioning properly if scolded. This was not good…he'd been limping all throughout the campus, and it was a good thing they'd be on broomsticks out there or else he'd completely be a disabled player.

"Ladies and gentlemen!!!" Terry Boot's reverberating voice strayed all the Slytherin team's attention from Malfoy's legs. "Welcome to the third Quidditch match of the season!!! And now, playing for the win, the humble HUFFLEPUFFS!!!"

Malfoy smirked in disgust as the whole stadium cheered—barely anyone was, as expected, going to side with Slytherin today, considering what had happened to Cho. Gryffindor and Ravenclaw hated Slytherin now more than ever. And as the Hufflepuff team zoomed into the field to the deafening cheers of three-fourths of the student body, Malfoy rolled his eyes and turned abruptly to his team lined up behind him.

"Okay, listen up," he demanded, and all heads turned to him. "I know we'd been practicing for playing Hufflepuff for a while, but I have to say we're switching strategies."

"_What???_"

Malfoy frowned at his team's protest. "I know I said we'd play around with them a bit just to make things interesting—because honestly, what kind of Quidditch game would it be if we won just like that? I know I said we'd prolong the match just to be assholes, but I've changed my mind. Right now I'm not really in the mood to toy with them. Just beat the hell out of their asses. Make sure they don't get to score a single point—not even _touch_ the Quaffle—and I'll make sure I catch the Golden Snitch in five minutes tops," he finished, a manic sparkle in his eyes.

And as his team grinned evilly in agreement, Terry Boot called out their team with a very evident note of hatred in his tone. "—the SLYTHERINS!!!"

"Boos" were heard everywhere from all sides when they climbed on their broomsticks and zoomed out, except of course the Slytherin side, who were cheering their lungs out. The angry faces on the remaining three houses made Malfoy's eyebrow twitch in annoyance. At that moment, he made a vow he'd catch that Snitch in _three_ minutes.

And when Madam Hooch blew her whistle, Malfoy gave his team a meaningful nod and they all set off, determined glares in their expressions.

In a flash, Ted Conkram had slammed Hufflepuff Chaser Andy Lawrence's face with a Bludger, which Ted had meant to ricochet off to hit the other Chaser Nicky Tan.

And it did. In an instant the two Hufflepuff Chasers swerved out of balance and out of their way. Madeline Brown freely shot the Quaffle past the Hufflepuff's distracted Keeper and scored.

One minute.

The Hufflepuff Beaters, enraged, hit two Bludgers towards the Slytherin Beaters, but Eric Polansky and Ted Conkram had stirred the remaining Hufflepuff Chaser Cody Cruz in their way, and Cody got hit instead. Twice. Slytherin Chaser Tristan Gonzales scored past the once again distracted Hufflepuff Keeper and scored.

Two minutes.

It was at that moment, when his Chasers tried to score again, that Malfoy spotted the Snitch by the Gryffindor stands. He grinned and his Light Year Twenty Ten spun towards it. This was just too easy.

Three minutes.

***

"I hate them! I hate Slytherin for being so damn good! I hate Malfoy for being so damn leader-like! I hate them! I hate them all!" Ron vented, as the three of them exited the stadium and made their way back to the castle. "Why couldn't they have had _stupid_ players and an even _stupid-er_ Captain???"

"C'est la vie," Hermione mumbled.

"What the hell was that?" Ron cocked his eyebrow at her. "Was that supposed to make me _feel_ any better???"

Hermione sighed as she waved at Ginny, who was running off to catch up with Dean. "C'mon, Ron. Why are you taking this so hard? So Slytherin ended the match within three minutes. It's not like they cheated or anything. Besides, isn't Harry the one who's supposed to be fuming? And Harry isn't even saying anything about it, so why should you?"

"I just—"

"Look, I hate Slytherin too, but if it'll make things any better, I'll give you a hug, okay?" Hermione said, and Ron immediately blushed at this and didn't say another word.

That was when Harry stopped in his tracks. The Slytherin team was walking towards them, past them. It was a miracle Malfoy didn't say anything, but soon Harry found out why.

Justin Finch-Fletchley was standing right behind the three, with his own group of pals. Malfoy had brushed past Harry because he'd wanted to talk to Justin, as he heard Malfoy say behind him. _But why?_

"Harry?" came Hermione's voice.

Harry waited for Malfoy to leave, Justin trailing behind Malfoy in terror. The two of them headed to the edge of the grounds, leaving the Slytherin team and Justin's friends where they were.

Harry grabbed both Hermione and Ron's wrists and sped in the opposite direction, then crept out back and, hiding behind some bushes, spied on Malfoy and Justin's conversation. Hermione and Ron looked puzzled, but Harry shushed them with a meaningful look.

"Nobody seems to be swooping down on me just yet, Mudblood. I'm guessing you're keeping your end of the deal," Malfoy said, smirking.

"It wasn't even a deal, you blackmailing scum," Justin said bravely. "You threatened me and you know it."

"What's the difference?" Malfoy shrugged. "We both got what we wanted, right? Besides," he paused for effect, and almost laughed out loud at the look in Justin's eyes. It was obvious that despite his words, Justin was scared of him. _Damn_ scared of him. "Aren't you forgetting that you'd probably be in bloody minced pieces by now if it weren't for me?"

"Y-You were the one who g-got me into this in the first place!"

Malfoy sighed. "How many times do I have to tell you that I wasn't?" He shook his head. "Believe what you want. I just hope you keep your fat mouth shut or you just might get an encore performance." He smiled at Justin in a menacing way, and Justin scurried off back to his friends in fear.

Harry watched as Malfoy chuckled to himself and started heading back to his waiting team as well, but stopped a few meters away because his knees almost gave way. Harry could've sworn he heard him groan in pain a bit, then continue walking away.

When Malfoy was safely out of earshot and out of sight, Harry, Ron and Hermione emerged from the bushes.

"What the hell was that all about?" Ron asked.

"I knew it," Harry said softly, realization dawning on him. "It was Malfoy who'd done those things to Justin."

"What?"

"The night before Cho was released from the hospital wing. Justin's condition…the Full Body Bind and the Leg Locker Curse…just outside the Forbidden Forest…Malfoy must've done those things to Justin, and he threatened him not to tell on him or else he'd do it again," Harry explained, his anger growing more and more evident by the minute. "Welcome to the wonderful world of eavesdropping."

"But why would he do that?" Ron countered.

"Because he's a jerk?" Harry snapped, and it finally showed in his expression that although he'd been keeping quiet all this time, he'd still been fuming at Malfoy.

"But why," Hermione suddenly spoke, "is he limping…?"

Ron shrugged. "Reckon Justin gave Malfoy a little one-two before he got Petrified."

Well…I guess this will be all for now:D I'm sorry it's really short, I know, but I'll upd8 soon :D It's kind of getting harder and harder to write now because the story's building up:D In the next chapters, I'll be starting to explain some things already, so I'm taking my time to write so that I don't miss any loopholes and so that I can tie all loose ends perfectly:D Thank you so much for all your reviews and your praises and your support!!! Despite the difficulties I've been having, you guys have always been there for me:D Your comments are keeping me going!!! I'll do my best not to disappoint everyone!!! See ya in a few!:D 


	22. Hatred's Conclusions

**PART TWENTY-ONE**

**_Hatred's Conclusions_**

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_February ended that way—with me hating Malfoy all the more. But when March finally came, I started to feel a little bit higher in spirits. I noticed that Hermione, too, was back to her usual self and was no longer brooding. I was glad for that, and I was glad that I had finally sorted it out…my visions and Malfoy's doings. I was satisfied and delighted—too delighted—to have concluded to myself that it all came down to Malfoy and that I now had yet another excuse to hate him. Like I had said before, it was a blind hatred. I was too busy hating him and pointing all bad things towards him that I was unable to see the truth. This went on and on throughout the month…even until the third trip to Hogsmeade._

"I'm sorry, Harry…my mom doesn't want me to. She thinks I'm still too 'weak' to leave the school grounds," Cho complained one night at the Great Hall, as Harry stared at her, toying with her hair. "It sucks."

"Hey, it's okay," Harry replied and shifted in his position, so that they were only inches apart in their seats. "It'd be better if you stayed here to rest. I wouldn't want you to go to Hogsmeade tomorrow and get hurt or anything," he whispered, giving her a small peck on the lips.

"You are so sweet, you know that?" Cho giggled and kissed him again. "Be careful tomorrow, okay? I wouldn't be around to look out for you," she joked.

"Isn't it the other way around?" Harry smiled and gave her another kiss, this time not at all a short one. It was a while before Cho pulled back, giggling even harder. "Stop it, Harry; I have to go back to the common room."

"Okay," he said reluctantly. "Good night."

"Good night," Cho stood up, traced his lips with her finger, and left, smiling.

Harry stared after her in silence, until Ron cleared his throat across from him.

"Hel-_lo_? Earth to Harry? Can we _go_ now?" Ron whined. He flipped his journal shut and reached across the table to nudge Harry's shoulder. "I miraculously survived the cheesy, giggly, lovey-dovey, and therefore disgusting performance the two of you were staging right in front of me. Not to mention I actually lived through the three lip actions you guys made. But I am not, I repeat, _not_ going to tolerate your after-kiss googly-eyed look. A third wheel can only take so much public display of affection."

Harry smiled apologetically at Ron. "Sorry," he said sheepishly.

Ron shrugged and stood up. "Hey, it's me; I'm used to being the left-out clown who's always neglected to exist."

Harry fell in step beside him as they made their way out of the Great Hall that night to the Gryffindor common room. "I'm really sorry, Ron. I just…barely have time for her these days."

"Yeah, I know, I know." Ron sighed. Harry looked at the journal in Ron's hand and then back at his face. "So are you going to tell her tonight?"

"If I get the chance, yes," replied Ron. "In fact, I'm so sick of waiting around that I'm probably going to tell her the moment I see her." He nodded in his newfound courage. "Yep, I'm going to let it all out."

Harry grinned. "Good for you, then. You've been hiding it for a while now."

"How did you find out about it, anyway? It's not like I ever showed you my journal, or wrote in it in front of you until tonight."

"Ron, I'm your best friend, remember? I've always known you liked her. Toothflossing Stringmints," Harry said, climbing into the hole as the Fat Lady swung to let them in at the mention of the password, Ron trailing behind. 

"Was it _that_ obvious?" Ron asked. "I mean, I—"

 "Harry! Ron!" Hermione called, walking towards them from where Ginny and Dean were sitting in front of the fire. The two boys looked at each other, and Ron started to squirm.

Harry grinned at Hermione. "What's with the excited greeting? You're not usually this happy to see us. In fact, you're not usually happy, period."

Hermione grabbed both their wrists and dragged them to a nearby couch. "I'm sorry if I've been moping around lately. But I'm okay now, I've decided to forget about M—" Hermione trailed off, noticing the strange look on Harry's face and realizing she'd almost spilled the beans. "—_McGonagall's_ duties for me," she covered. "Besides, I'm getting all icky watching Ginny and Dean get all sweet. So anyway, I've been doing a lot of thinking recently. I'm kind of wondering why you think Malfoy is behind all your visions, and I just want to…talk. Like we used to. We never talk anymore these days."

"Well, er…" Harry looked at Ron, who was blushing. "I…I'd love to talk about my reasons and all, but I think Ron has something to say first."

Ron looked up from the floor and glared at Harry. "I do?"

"Yeah, you do. You've been wanting to tell Hermione, actually." Harry grinned.

"Really?" Hermione looked at Ron in curiosity. "What's up?"

There was a very awkward silence as Ron struggled to get the words out, but it all seemed to die on his throat. _Damn it, _he thought to himself, as he looked at her eager face, staring at him. After several minutes, Harry finally saw that Ron simply couldn't do it.

"Er, you know what, Hermione? Maybe I _should_ talk about the visions. Ron'll…er…tell you some other time, okay?" Harry said, and Ron sighed, mumbling, "Yeah, I will."

Hermione bobbed her head. "So tell me all about it. You seem happier tonight. Not boiling mad anymore?"

"I still am, but I'm taking pleasure in knowing I've got it figured out, and after all the thinking, I really think it's him," Harry said. "See, the first and second visions were kind of very similar. The first had the Gryffindor crest while the second had the Slytherin crest. This probably means that both Houses are involved—which undoubtedly means Malfoy and me. There were red eyes and a flash of green light—a metaphor of Voldemort…and then blond hair—Malfoy. And then there were the words, 'After the sixth downfall of the serpent…', which I think is related to my fourth vision."

"The fourth one called out the names of Salazar Slytherin, Tom Riddle, Quirrell, Peter Pettigrew, Barty Crouch and Lucius Malfoy. Six names…six people who've begun, went on, and are still going on with the dark deeds of wizardry. The six serpents, who've all met their downfall and weren't successful so far…"

"Hold it," Ron spoke up, seeming to have recovered from blushing. "What about Tom Riddle? He's You-Know-Who. I mean, he failed once, with you, but now he's back again. That means he hasn't met his downfall yet, right?"

"Yeah…that I can't figure out. There are a lot of things that I still don't understand, but these things I'm telling you now are what _I_ think. See, 'after the sixth downfall of the serpent', if what I'm saying is true, means that these people have failed, right? And then 'a new power shall rise again, greater and more powerful than ever before', as what my third vision said. So after those six failures, a new one will rise…" Harry paused, clearing his throat. "I used to keep wondering who that new follower is, but the other night I just had another dream…the seventh one…and in it was Malfoy, with Voldemort right behind him. And since my scar hurts every time I see a vision, it all makes sense that Voldemort's completely involved."

"So…you're saying that the new dark follower is…Malfoy…?" Hermione said, lowering her tone.

"I'm guessing, yes," confirmed Harry. "That's why I hate him all the more. The reason I want to kick his butt in the Quidditch Finals next month. And the reason why I want to get to the bottom of this so I can stop him."

"But what about your fifth and sixth visions? What do they have to do with Malfoy…?" Hermione asked again.

"That's what I can't put my finger into. I don't understand the forests…which almost all of my visions were set in. I don't understand my fifth dream…about the overwhelming power and the blood and how great it all surprisingly felt…and the sixth one…with all the noise and the broomsticks and the Dark Mark…and then making me want to snap…" Harry trailed off again. "Maybe it all has something to do with me, how I'm supposed to stop him. Godric Gryffindor said it himself in that letter I found. It almost seemed like I was chosen, being the only one who could read it. He said that the people around me are at stake…Cho just got into an accident _because_ of Malfoy and that's strike one…and then we just found out about Malfoy getting Justin into curses and leaving him stranded in the Forbidden Forest for no particular reason and that's strike two…who knows what else he's got planned up his sleeve? And then Godric said he was having visions, and so am I right now…so I reckon I'm chosen to stop Malfoy, and my fifth and sixth visions probably want to tell me how, but that's just it. I don't understand what they mean."

There was awkward silence again for the umpth time among the three, as they pondered on everything Harry had just said on a roll. And, for the first time ever for the past six years of mind-boggling dilemmas, the three of them couldn't think of anything to say in this ambiguity.

For the first time ever, they really didn't have a clue anymore.

They couldn't figure it out.

That's it for now! Hope it's ok:D Like I said, I've kind of been having some problems on explanations:D There'll be more to come, I promise!!:D Please Keep R&R-ing!!!

PS

I'm sorry my summary stinks hehehe:D do you guys have any suggestions? Contributions? :D And to "just b", sorry I couldn't email you about this update…my email's been having trouble sending out messages…hope u can come across my fic for the update :D Peace!:D


	23. One Last Thought

**PART TWENTY TWO**

**_One Last Thought_**

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Malfoy clutched his right sleeve, rolled it up to his shoulder, and swallowed heavily. God knows he'd so much rather be with his schoolmates in Hogsmeade right now and face public humiliation in Honeydukes because of the memory of what he'd done to Pansy months ago. It was better than standing here, in his father's office in the Manor, listening to him go on ecstatically about what Malfoy knew was going to happen to him in a few minutes.

"Finally," Lucius said, holding up a vial of all the ingredients Malfoy had collected. "After all your bloody procrastinations, it's finished at last…the key to your new life…a life led by loyalty and service, to the one and only Master…"

Malfoy watched in silence as his father stepped closer to him and held up a knife. Malfoy's eyes widened, but he dared not question his father's actions. Instead he gripped his sleeve tighter, expecting the worst. He'd gotten himself into this; there was no point turning back now.

Lucius looked at his son with an almost crazed expression in his eyes. "I've told you before, Draco. The Dark Lord has special plans for you…you will not simply be an ordinary Death Eater. He shall use you as an instrument…a tool…a glorified means to wipe out the hindrances and the one nuisance that stands in His way of domination and cleansing…this is the greatest honor a devoted follower can ever achieve, my boy…" he whispered, raising the knife. "And I have never been more _proud_."

At the word "proud", Lucius stabbed the blade's sharpness right into Malfoy's upper arm, and as the blood  oozed out furiously from his flesh, Malfoy cried out in pain and gritted his teeth, staggering a bit as his vision began to go surprisingly blurred. He screamed again and dropped down to his knees as he felt his father pouring the contents of the vial into the large wound, and blindingly hot pain seeped through his veins and into his very soul. The room began to look different to him; everything seemed to be spinning. The pain was indescribably too much.

But before he began to lose consciousness, he caught a glimpse of a person in a black cloak emerge from the shadows in the far corner of the room…clutching a black book and walking slowly towards his writhing form. The figure stopped right in front of him, and as he strained to keep his eyes open, he saw the figure open the book and could faintly hear the person uttering an enchantment…an enchantment that seemed to intensify the excruciating pain in his arm. And when the figure extended a hand and touched a finger to the wound on his arm, he heard the soft hissing of burning and he opened his mouth to give a final scream of pain.

That was when he fell with a thud on the floor, giving it all up to the peaceful dark recesses of unconsciousness slowly enveloping him, with only one last word popping into his strained mind.

_Hermione…_

Hermione became, for the next few weeks, the listener to Ginny about the cheesy things Dean did. It truly seemed like they were a couple now, and Hermione, convincing herself that she was back to being her usual self, tried not to dwell on the fact that she was once just like that with Malfoy. She'd kept the locket tucked away in her drawer, and dared not to make any unnecessary confrontations with Malfoy, who was being awfully quiet recently. She focused more on her studies again, burying her head in her books every chance she got. Of course, she never failed to neglect her Head Girl duties, and her two best friends.

She was glad to note that Harry never went back to how he'd acted back in Hagrid's hut when he'd first revealed his visions. He was old Harry again, but this time he'd always sit alone during breaks, pondering on what his fifth and sixth dreams had meant. Cho was surprisingly giving him space just as she'd told Hermione on Christmas Day. Hermione felt bad still, but figured this had an advantage to it because Harry really did need to be alone with his thoughts.

Ron was being a little weird, to Hermione's opinion. One moment, he'd be all wacky and the next moment he'd be serious and awkward around her. She figured it had something to do with what he was going to tell her, but she didn't want to push him or anything. He really would look like he was ready to spit it all out on some days, but then he would keep quiet again and Hermione would never know what the deal was.

Still, whenever the three of them were together, things were how they always were. They would hang out and joke around a bit, and then get down to business on the issues at hand—upcoming tests, History of Magic research papers, Defense Against the Dark Arts essays, Charms exercises, Potions ingredients, rants on House conflicts, updates on current news and mishaps around campus or on the Quidditch practice grounds for the final match against Slytherin, and of course, the questions on their minds about Harry's dreams.

Nothing much came up for the remainder of April, and Hermione, emerging from the dormitories to get a glass of water from the common room the night before the big Quidditch final, came upon Harry sitting alone by the fireplace.

"Hey," Hermione greeted, taking a sip from her glass and settling down on the couch beside him. Harry seemed startled from his thoughts at first, but then smiled at her. "Hey," he greeted back.

"Can't sleep?"

Harry shook his head.

"Nervous about tomorrow?"

"Nah," Harry shook his head again. "I'm quite eager to see the expression on Malfoy's sorry face when Gryffindor pounds them tomorrow."

Hermione chuckled. "I can see you're quite confident," she took another sip. "I'm not blaming you; you guys have been practicing like _hell_ for this match. I'm sure you'll ace it."

"Thanks," Harry smiled at her, and they both turned to the fire, hearing nothing but the cackling of the logs. It was a while before Hermione broke the silence.

"Say, Harry," she said softly. "What if I told you…that there's something I've been hiding from you and Ron…something I regret and have been trying to tuck away, but can't…?"

Harry turned to look at her. "What are you trying to say?"

"It's just that…" she sighed. "I've had this huge secret that I keep wanting to tell you two but can't because I know you guys will totally hate me for it. I've had to lie for so long…and I hate lying to you both."

"Hey, it's okay," he reached out to touch her shoulder. "What if I told you that once I find the meaning in all these visions, I plan to take actions on my own so as not to get Ron and you involved?"

Hermione's eyes widened. "What--?"

"But I'm not going to go through with it," Harry continued. "And that's the point. That's why some things are better kept to ourselves. In the end we pretty much get to figure them out on our own. We realize what we should or shouldn't do. That's why we have secrets; we don't _have_ to tell each other everything. We all have something we intend to keep," he finished.

Hermione looked down. "Well, if you put it that way…" she sighed again. "Damn, I'd give anything to be Ron right now…_he_ doesn't seem like he's keeping anything from us."

Harry snorted playfully. "Trust me; he does."

Hermione looked at him and her eyes widened. "Oh, right!" She snapped her fingers as if she'd just gotten a brainstorm. "Don't tell him this, but I once saw his journal—did you know that he has one?—and I accidentally read a page or two…Ron is crushing on some girl here at Hogwarts, you know! I think the reason why he's acting weird recently is that he maybe wants to tell me about it so that he can get a few tips, if you know what I mean," Hermione wiggled her eyebrows and grinned. "I reckon she's someone I know and Ron's trying to get me to bring him closer to this Mystery Girl."

"Er…" Harry bit his lip. "Believe me, Hermione. You know her more than you think."

"You know about all this? Wicked!" Hermione set her glass aside on a nearby table and edged closer to Harry, intrigued. "So who is it then?"

Harry stared at her eager eyes for a while, and then he sighed. "It's you, Hermione. Ron likes you; he always has. I thought you'd have noticed that by now. It's been years, Hermione…" Harry smiled at her.

Hermione stared wordlessly at him, her mouth hanging open. Harry let it all sink in, and after a few minutes, Hermione whispered, "Oh. My. God."

"He doesn't expect you to like him back, Hermione. That stuff he's been wanting to tell you? He just wants to get it out," Harry shifted in his position. "Have you ever noticed how as the days go by, he's becoming less and less of a pain in the neck for you? He's toning down on the insults and you guys barely have any bickering anymore like in the previous years. All I'm saying is that you cut him a little slack. Start appreciating him for the guy he is behind the antics. If you'd read his journal, then you should know that by now. He's not twelve years old anymore, you know."

"Oh my god," Hermione repeated, gathering up her knees and hugging them to her chest. "I'm so stupid…Ron, I'm so sorry…The minute I finished reading the entry I told myself I'd appreciate him more…but I guess I never did…" she trailed off and silent tears began to well up in her eyes.

"Whoa, hey, no tears, okay?" Harry said soothingly, wrapping her in his arms and giving her a hug. "Nothing's changed…don't get all awkward around him…god knows that's the last thing he wants."

Hermione nodded, and Harry kissed her on her head. They broke apart and Harry stood up. "Listen, why don't you just sleep on it?"

Hermione looked up at him. "I'm really sorry, Harry. And here I thought I was the one who's going to comfort you and get you to go to sleep."

Harry grinned. "You did. I'm definitely going back to sleep now. I've been thinking too much, and I've definitely had enough drama for tonight," he joked.

Hermione laughed and wiped her tears with the back of her hand, standing up as well. "Okay, Harry. Thanks a lot."

"Anytime," Harry winked at her, and they both made their way to their dormitories. When Hermione reached the door to her room, she paused as her hand took hold of her doorknob. _Thank you, too, Ron,_ she thought. _And good luck on the game tomorrow, Harry…Draco…_

__

yey!!! Another chappie!!!! Thanks to all my readers!!! You guys ROCK!!!!!!!! I'm sorry if (as Softish pointed out) the chaps get shorter as I go on, but it's just that despite my busy sched, I'm updating a whole lot faster now than I used to (the old me used to update once every three months. ) I just hope I keep it up for you guys:D Thanks aimee!!! Thanks y'all!!! And yes, mygawd, I am SOOOOOOOO looking forward to the HP3 movie!!! I can't wait to see tom felton in action again (his new hairdo is just TO DIE FOR :D ) anyways, off I go for now!! Thanks for standing by me all this time!!! you guys are the best :D

PS

Hey "zing-baby"!!! thanks for your review, I'll go check on your fic as soon as I get some free time:D I bet it'll be great!! See ya!


	24. The Fifth and Sixth Visions

**PART TWENTY THREE**

**_The Fifth and Sixth Visions_**

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"We are _so_ ready to run over those freaks like roadkill!"

Malfoy immediately pulled down his right sleeve and started strapping on his shoulder pads the moment he heard his teammate's voice. He shut the door to his locker and looked up to see who was talking.

His Chaser Lenalia Wang was leaning by the doorway to the exit of the locker room, grinning at him. "C'mon out, Captain. The team's waiting for you." She jerked her head towards the Quidditch stands. "We all can't wait to make Gryffindor bite our dust."

Malfoy smirked. "They'll be biting more than our dust," he replied, walking towards her. "Trust me; I've got something else planned that I'd like to shove down their goody-goody throats."

They both grinned and stepped out of the locker rooms towards the Slytherin team, who were all prepped up and were just waiting for Terry Boot to call out their House name.

The moment the teams were called and they all zoomed out on the dark, wet grounds, Malfoy looked up and around the stadium and had never seen a bigger and more intense crowd. _The Quidditch Final sure is a big deal,_ he thought, _and it should be. _At a flash of lightning he caught a glimpse of Hermione at the Gryffindor side, rubbing her arms to keep herself warm because even though the audience's seats were bewitched to repel the rain, it still couldn't take away the chill that the winds brought. For a moment Malfoy wanted to head by her side and wrap his arms around her just to keep her warm, but then he shook his head and looked instead at the Gryffindor team, lined up across from his own.

"I want this Quidditch Final to be smooth, got it?" Madam Hooch shouted over the noise of the excited crowd and the heavy pouring of the rain. Malfoy caught Harry's eye and they both glared menacingly at each other, almost as if to send out a silent challenge. "Now let's make this a match to remember!!!"

Malfoy and Harry both sped upwards at the sound of Madam Hooch's whistle, and the crowd went wild as the players got into action. Both teams were so intense on the battle that they were all acting so fast; all the audience could see were green and red blurs here and there.

"Ten points to Slytherin! Ten points to Gryffindor! Another ten to Gryffindor! Another; and another one!!! My god, ladies and gentlemen!!! What a fast-paced and action-packed game we have tonight!!!" came Terry Boot's excited and obviously delighted commentary.

Malfoy frowned and gripped the handle of his broomstick tightly. This was _not_ going well. Harry flew across the field and stopped in front of him, smirking.

"What happened to your three-minute record _now_, Malfoy?" Harry taunted, and Malfoy noticed that his glasses were most probably given an "_impervious_" by Hermione again.

"Oh, I've got something else in mind, Potter," he replied spitefully. "Something that will _definitely_ make you hate me even more." And at this, he pulled out his wand and pointed at the Gryffindor Keeper. "_Expelliarmus!_"

With Harry's "What the--?" and the crowd's loud gasp, Malfoy watched as the Gryffindor Keeper fell down, unconscious, to the ground.

Madam Hooch whistled loudly and began mounting her broomstick towards Malfoy. Terry Boot expressed his outrage openly and Harry glared at Malfoy, but he simply winked at Harry and sped off, pointing this time at one of the Gryffindor Chasers. "_Impedimenta!"_

The Slytherin team started scoring so much more, and the crowd rampaged with anger. The commotion was nerve-racking as Malfoy darted here and there to avoid Madam Hooch, who was furiously on his tail. He laughed and took down another Chaser, but stopped dead when he saw another spell hit a Slytherin Beater.

"WHAT IS THIS??? GRYFFINDOR CAPTAIN HARRY POTTER HAS DECIDED TO FIGHT DRACO MALFOY BACK!!! THE FIELD IS TEEMING WITH HEXES AND CURSES, FOLKS!!!"

"Damn you, Potter!" Malfoy shouted to Harry as Lenalia Wang went down next. Harry sped past him and he saw the sparkle in Harry's eyes. Malfoy frowned and sped towards the remaining Gryffindor players, just as Harry did the same to the Slytherin team. All thoughts of the Snitch flew from both Seekers' minds as the audience began screaming, Madam Hooch had veins that almost looked like they would pop anytime soon, and Terry Boot began shouting his disbelief.

_"Rictusempra!"_

_"Stupefy!"_

_"Tarantallegra!"_

_"Fernunculus!"_

"DRACO MALFOY AND HARRY POTTER!!! STOP THESE HEXES THIS INSTANT!!!" came a different voice on the commentary, and Malfoy recognized it to be McGonagall's. They both ignored her and started pointing their wands at _each other_ now, and at that moment Malfoy almost forgot all about the game. They both stared at each other heatedly, shooting out curses and mortally injuring each other. It was getting personal now, all the boiling pent up hatred for each other letting loose out in the pouring rain.

It was when Harry almost slipped from his broomstick that another calmer yet very intimidating tone spoke from the commentaries. "Mr. Potter, Mr. Malfoy, you both are to stop this _now_."

Dumbledore's voice had an indescribable touch to it that Malfoy actually shoved his wand back into his pockets, though reluctantly. He watched in resentment as Harry did the same across from him, but then all of a sudden, as if waiting for this exact moment, the Golden Snitch hovered between them both, and when it sped off, both Seekers zoomed after it. All the adrenaline coursed through Malfoy's veins, and everything about the match came back: the roaring audience, the fuming teachers, the disabled teammates, the deafening thunder, the thrilled commentary, the angry referee.

And most importantly, the competition on the Snitch.

Malfoy raced across the fields and flew higher and higher towards the dark sky, squinting against the rain to keep an eye on the small gold glint flying away from him. He grinned triumphantly as he felt Harry fall farther and farther behind him. This was it. He would prove to the whole school that Slytherin was the best. His final year at Hogwarts was going to bring glory back to Slytherin which Gryffindor so irritatingly snagged since Harry had arrived. Victory was near.

But it was when he was just a few meters away from the Snitch that Malfoy started to feel something…a sharp pain on the upper part of his right arm…

Hermione watched in unexpected worry as she saw Malfoy grab his right arm and slow down on his Light Year Twenty Ten, and a flash of lightning made her see that his face was contorted in pain. The crowd around her whispered in curiosity at each other, and so did Terry Boot.

And then, when Harry finally caught up with Malfoy and paused in front of him, Hermione screamed.

Malfoy's body jerked involuntarily and his blood splashed out from every part of him, and all sound was removed from Hermione's senses because all she could hear was Malfoy, out there in the rain, crying out in extreme pain.

She caught a glimpse of Harry's stunned expression as Malfoy's blood splattered all over him, and then it happened. What Hermione was fearing the most. Malfoy lost all consciousness and started to fall, a hundred feet above the ground.

Hermione's sense of reason went numb and she ran like hell, past the horrified crowds and down the stands. Tears welled up in her eyes and her heart pounded a thousand miles per hour, her hands shaking in fear and her knees almost giving way. The moment she reached the grounds, she looked up to see that Malfoy's fall began to slow down and knew that Dumbledore was once again at work just like what had happened to Harry in his third year, but all of a sudden Dumbledore's spell broke and Malfoy started falling again, this time even faster than before.

Hermione ran…she ran her lungs out towards the center of the field, her reasoning clawing its way desperately out of her mind but her own will not letting it do so. She knew what she was doing was controversial, but right now she didn't really give a damn.

She still loved Malfoy, that much was obvious now, and she would do anything to keep him safe.

Finally, she slid against the ground and caught his unconscious form, the two of them tumbling down the wet puddles in the heavy downpour. She worriedly sat up, ignored the pain her stumble had caused her, and laid Malfoy's head on her lap, and once she saw him up-close, she gasped.

His blood was oozing out on the puddles and was soaking her own robes, and she saw that he had huge gashes all over his body, which seemed to have just appeared when he'd screamed up in the air a while back. More blood was trickling out of the side of his partly open mouth, and Hermione swore that her heart died right then. The tears welling up flew down her cheeks uncontrollably, and she cupped his cheek lovingly, as students, players, and professors began to gather around them both.

"D-Draco…?" she whimpered, sobbing because of the conclusion fast forming in her mind. "C'mon, Draco; stop joking around…" Her trembling and blood-soaked hand moved down to his chest, and she sobbed even more.

_Why? Why did this have to happen? Why now…? Why him…? How did he get all these cuts…and why did he fall so fast…it was almost as if he was being pushed down the ground…oh god, Draco…please wake up…don't do this to me…_

"It's not funny, Draco…" She was crying hysterically now, finally realizing that his chest wasn't moving.

He was no longer breathing.

Hermione buried her face in the crook of his neck, crying and crying for all it's worth.

_It's not funny…_

_…_

_…_

_…_

_…_

_…_

_It was supposed to be horrible. I was supposed to be mortified. Malfoy's blood that poured out on me was supposed to make me sick, knowing that I probably had a hand in shedding some of it because of the hexes I had put on him before his unexplained cuts appeared. But I didn't even feel a thing…not an ounce of compassion…not an iota of guilt. In fact…it felt…really good…_

_…_

_…_

_…_

_…_

_…_

Hey guys!!! Fujingrl here with another short update…I know, I know, it's a real cliffhanger and all…you guys are probably getting your torches ready to burn my house down as an angry mob because of how this chappie ended. I'm really sorry! But don't worry, I'm definitely going to get Malfoy and Hermione back together real soon :D Once again for the umpth time, THANK YOU VERY MUCH TO ALL THE READERS AND REVIEWERS!!! My heart is all swollen because of your compliments and support and encouragement :D All the credit goes to you people!!! I'm updating a lot quicker now compared to how often I used to update. You guys keep me going!!! I hope this was a good update for you! I'm going to write another reply to the reviewers soon. Thanks again and more power to you all!!! :D

PS

sorry about the "..."s up there, i just did that to make some spacings...i noticed that ff.net is having trouble putting up the spacings between paragraphs, so it's getting harder to separate the paragraph of Harry's narrations and to separate my 'author's comments' from the main story. :D

Up next: Now that everyone knows about Hermione's feelings for dear Draco, how will everyone react? Most especially, how will Harry and Ron react? What's up with Harry and his visions and all these weird feelings inside of him? Is Hermione ever going to return Ron's affection? What will happen when Hermione finds out about Draco's Dark Mark? And most importantly, when will Hermione and Draco ever going to get back together??? Wow, I hate myself for prolonging this too much….


	25. The Aftermath

**PART TWENTY-FOUR**

**_The Aftermath_**

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It was a pretty big issue at Hogwarts, needless to say. Curiosity grasped everyone's mind concerning Malfoy's accident, excitement coursed through everyone's veins on discussions about the heated rivalry that occurred between the two Seekers, and skepticism enveloped everyone's hearts about Hermione and Malfoy. Word spread so much about the latter issue and never had Hermione felt so gossiped about in her life. Everywhere she went, every corner she turned, every class she took, people were always whispering and stealing glances at her. It went on for so long and was always the same thing every day that Hermione almost memorized how everyone had a different reaction to her controversial and long-kept romantic relationship with Malfoy:

The professors were all treating her awkwardly; in fact, it was so awkward that it made Snape not give her a hard time these days.

The Slytherins were extremely disgusted at Malfoy now for having done what he had done to Hermione (as tales of their sexual escapades grew taller and taller) and for going against all odds to have an affair with her. They were angry at Hermione for taking away the guy they all once respected and idolized very much in every aspect of his once un-violated Slytherin ways.

Gryffindor had an opposite reaction; they were disgusted at Hermione and angry at Malfoy. Their long-standing Gryffindor values seemed to have disappeared with a snap because of Hermione's doings.

Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff concluded that the two of them were lowly, sex-starved players who only went on with the relationship just to fool around.

As a result, both Hermione and Malfoy's reputations crumbled down like Pixie dust, and since Malfoy was still in the hospital wing and was inaccessible at the moment, Hermione was receiving the full blow of anger, disgust, humiliation and loss of dignity and respect—in short, total isolation.

The weeks of teasing and mockery were hell; she would've handled it all better if only Malfoy were by her side, instead of lying half-dead, heavily injured, and in a coma in the hospital wing, where she wasn't even allowed to draw back the curtains on his bed to look at him. Malfoy was in extensive care, and no one—not even his friends (or so-called friends)—was allowed to visit him. It would've been so much easier to take the blows of going public with her relationship if she could hear Malfoy whisper lovingly in her ear that they would make it through all this…that they wouldn't give a damn what others thought as long as they were together…or say those words he'd told her when they first made love in the study—that whatever happened, they would face them together…or if she could at least visit him in the hospital wing…see his face and that would be enough…

It was during these moments that Hermione was never more grateful to have her friends, who stood beside her every step of the way. Not once did they leave her side whenever she got mocked, but rather they defended her with everything they had. Hermione could never be more touched…and she swore she'd never forget that fateful day when she realized that her two best friends would support her no matter what:

It would always play back in her head. It was the night on the Quidditch grounds where she cried with Malfoy in her arms in the heavy downpour. Dumbledore and Snape rushed towards the two of them, and after McGonagall had gathered Hermione in an embrace to comfort her, she saw Dumbledore beckon to Snape. Snape immediately took a vial of a potion with an orange hue and let a few drops land on Malfoy's bleeding mouth. The rest of the professors pushed back the crowd circling them, and then Dumbledore supported Malfoy's arms as Malfoy began making sudden jerks, and when he settled down again, Hermione saw that although shallow and burdened, he was breathing again.

Hermione couldn't believe her eyes. She broke free from McGonagall's embrace and reached out to the unconscious Malfoy again, but Dumbledore had conjured a stretcher and the professors were hurriedly taking Malfoy back up the castle to the hospital wing. McGonagall saw the agony in Hermione's eyes and brought her with them, while the rest of the spectators gathered outside the hospital wing's closed doors, buzzing with mixed emotions.

McGonagall explained that Snape's Rejuvenating Potion was kind of like an electric pump in the Muggle World, where doctors used shock to revive the heart. Malfoy was lucky to have been brought back, McGonagall had told her, and that he'd need a long time of recuperation and Madam Pomfrey's extensive care to be back to his old self again.

Hermione watched with tears in her eyes as Malfoy was laid down on the bed, still losing his blood, but soon her view was blocked when McGonagall led her to the door, not wanting her to watch any more of it.

"We'll take care of him," she promised her, and when Hermione exited the hospital wing, everyone began fussing and bombarding her with questions. Harry and Ron grabbed both her arms and sped off to help her escape, and when they finally reached a secluded area, she held back her sobs and tried to gather herself.

She looked at Ron's worried face and said, trembling, "I-I guess…you both know by now…you all saw what happened with Malfoy…I couldn't help myself…when I saw him out there in the rain…god…" she trailed off and looked at the ground, her shoulders shaking. "I couldn't keep it to myself anymore…"

Harry made a move towards her. "Hermione…"

She looked up at him, her face now glistening with fresh tears. "I love him, Harry…I always have…I know I shouldn't, but I do…and I hate myself for it…" She turned to look at Ron, who, as opposed to Harry's extremely shocked look, was looking at her with a face devoid of all emotion except pain. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you both sooner…I was so scared…I'm so sorry…Ron…" she trailed off completely and covered her face with her hands, sobbing uncontrollably.

A few moments of silence passed, with only Hermione's sobs echoing through the empty halls. And then, Ron took a step towards her and wrapped his arms around her, making her sob even more. He hugged her tighter and closed his eyes, letting her cry onto his shirt.

And Harry, looking at them both with his own tears beginning to well up in his eyes, knew at once that at that moment, Ron had summed up everything he was feeling for Hermione, even though he now knew that Hermione loved somebody else—and Draco Malfoy at that.

Ron loved Hermione that much.

…

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…

…

…

…

…

OMIGAWD what a short short short short chapter!!!! The next update's going to be a bit longer, I promise! Maybe now's the time to reply to the readers and reviewers once more. Weeeeee!:D

LilyMarielle, arlette, Shina-Etsu, mage, sprinkle89, Mystical, Atiyyah, jxelle, Realalien, iluvdraco: OMG thank you so very very much!!! I'm doing the best that I can for all of you guys, and as my fic goes on, I hope I don't disappoint any of you! Thanks for all the encouragement and the compliments!!!

Aidan666: Wow, I'm on your author alert!!! That's sooo flattering, thanks so much for being so hooked :D I know Malfoy was awful back there…such a bad ass (but that's why he's so hot .) but there was a reason behind it all :D Anyways, I'm updating a lot faster now, hope you're enjoying!

anna: Hi! Thanks for finding my fic qualified for your search . I'm really sorry I couldn't email you, but I'm really flattered that you are that eager to know when a new chappie is up:D Thanks so much!!!

Ana: omigawd…one of the best in ff.net? waaaaaaah my heart is swelling with joy:D Thankies!!!!! I'm glad I was able to be creative enough for you:D I hope you enjoy the rest of my ficcy!!! Your reviews are inspiring .

Ani: Heya!!! Thanks a bunch!!! I'm sorry I used to take too long to update, but I hope I'm doing better now!!! Thanks sooo much!

matet: wow, kudos to your friend for recommending my fic to you! Thanks so much for being so hooked, matet:D I'll be doing my best to give you the ending you want!

PolishPrincess: Whoa! Don't go killing yourself hehehe!!! LOL :D Thank you very much from the bottom of my heart! I'm doing the best I can to update more often:D Thankies!!!!

GlitterGreen: Wow, you're good! Yup, it's Hermione, but no, I don't want them to end up together either . That's why this fic is in the DM/HG category! Weee!!! Go Draco!!! Go Hermione!!!

ebbe04: hehehe Ron didn't have the guts to say it after all :D But trust me, once Malfoy finds out about Ron's feelings for Hermione, he's not going to take it too well…. Thanks for finding Harry's visions interesting!:D

Shoshi: Hi!!! Thank you for finding my fic different from the rest. Sorry about the loving then losing thing; it's kind of a basic love story twist . Thanks so much and please keep r&r-ing! J

N- : omigawd!!! I'm sooooo flattered and I really really appreciate your wonderful compliments:D I can't believe you read the whole thing in one sitting!!! It delights me to know that you were that captivated:D Thank you so much!!! I'm sorry my summary stinks . It's pretty tough, but I've asked for some suggestions:D I hope my story won't make you regret that you didn't skip over it for the thirteenth time hehehe!! . LOL :D Thanks soooooooooo much!!!!!!!! I'll do my best!!!

Just b: heya!!! Thanks a bunch for finding my fic to be one of the best!!!! You have no idea how wonderful it is to receive a compliment like that:D Thanks for all the reviews ! I'm doing my best for you all!!!:D and yes, I'm soo totally psyched to watch PoA!!! It's showing here in my country in June 2 nationwide!!! I am sooo gonna watch it so that I can drool over Tom Felton's new look! .

Sweetdreamsmuse: hahaha!!! Okie dokie!!! I'm doing my best! I hope I'm updating faster for you guys .

Icywitch: hey girl!!!! Thanks for reading my fic again!!!:D I know the old version I sent you was no good…I hope this new version I posted in ff.net is way better for ya! Thanks so much for the compliments, and once again, I'm sorry I haven't finished reading your fic! Like you said, it's a miracle that I still have time to update what with all the stuff I'm busy with . I hope I'll get some free time to read your fic soon!!! Thank you once again for the compliments!!!

Lily Bell: Hey thanks so much! I'm doing my best to give a hopefully satisfactory answer to all your questions. Please keep r&r-ing!!!:D

noisyamie: wow!! That's a long time!! Thank you for being so hooked!:D

 Softish: sorry about the shortening chappies, like I said, it's kind of getting harder to write long ones because I'm updating more often . I hope it's okay for you!:D

Zing-baby : OMIGAWD work for Rowling??? That's probably the most heart-warming compliments ever:D I can never match up to the great works of JK Rowling (she's the best!!!!!!!!) but thank you sooooooooooooooooooo much for that praise!!! You have no idea how great it feels to be appreciated that way. I won't let you guys down!:D And I'm sorry if I haven't had the time to read your fic, it's getting hectic for me but I will read it as soon as I get some free time! I bet it rocks! Thanks so much again!!!:D  (PS: thank you very very much for recommending my fic to your buds!!! It means a lot!!J )

TomFeltonsBabe: Hey thanks sooo much!!! Muchas Gracias!!! Er…I'm not really sure how to say it in Spanish. I'm honored to have pleased you J And don't worry, I assure you that Draco and Hermione will definitely get back together and Ron isn't really going to be a big hindrance (well, maybe a little, but not to the extent that Ron and Hermione will…er…you know .) Plus, Hermione's definitely going to use her locket again, but not for a while :D Anyways, happy watching of PoA!!! And most especially, advanced happy birthday!!! :D

Kigomae: Heya!!! Thanks a bunch! You and your friend Zing-baby are so great:D Thanks for spending four hours to read my fic . I hope I didn't waste your time!!!:D And I'm doing my best to update quickly and to make the chappies really good for you all. I hope I won't let any of you down!!! Please keep r&r-ing!!! You guys are the best!:D

The Nauti Dolphin: Waaaaaaaaaah I'm sooooooo utterly touched that you have told all your pals about my fic:D It's so inspiring. Don't worry, I'm doing the best that I can!!! Thank you for making my fic the reason you go online :D How flattering!!!:D Thanks soooo much again and may we all enjoy the third movie!!!!! (I can't wait to see Tom Felton in action again!!!:D  )

The Nauti Dolphin, noisyamie, kris, PolishPrincess, Mialana, Mle, Sarah, chocl8chps,sweetdreamsmuse, rainstorm: Omigwad omigawd omigawd!!! Thank you very much everyone!!! I'm soooooo sorry about the cliffhanger…it's just the way things are . I hope this update was good for you guys!!! And I will definitely not kill Draco off!:D I hope I won't disappoint you guys and I'll be pouring my heart and soul into my chappies!!! Thanks sooooo much for your continuing support and encouragement and all your praises!!! If these won't get me going, nothing will!!:D Luv y'all!!!

Kigomae: Yey!!!!! Thanks for enjoying!!! I hope this chappie was good for you:D And I'm really really sorry, but I'm kind of really super busy at the moment:D it's becoming harder and harder to update a lot, but I promise I really will read your fic as soon as the god of time lends me a hand . Thanks soooooooooooooooo much!!! Luv ya all!!!:D

LovesFantasy: Hi there!!! Wow, considering you like Draco/Ginny fics, I'm honored that you enjoyed my DM/HG fic:D I hope I entertained you as much as D/G fics do for you!!!:D I'm not really a fan of D/G, but I'll give it a shot if I can!! Thanks again!!:D

To everyone: YOU ALL ROCK!!!!!! THANKS SO MUCH AND MAY WE ALL ENJOY THE THIRD MOVIE!!! Weeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!:D


	26. Disturbance

**PART TWENTY-FIVE**

**_Disturbance_**

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_Hermione and Malfoy…my fifth and sixth visions…Ron's feelings…Malfoy's accident…my nightmares…the letter…everything around me…nothing seemed to be normal anymore. Everything seemed to be changing…and I wanted to scream out loud that I couldn't take it anymore; I didn't want to keep thinking of all these things that made no sense…I was tired…I was exhausted…I've had enough._

__

"I better be off," Hermione said hastily, piling her books onto her arms.

Ron grabbed Harry's wrist and they both exited the classroom to catch up with Hermione, who had already gone out the door. "Look, I know you hated that Defense Against the Dark Arts class we just had, considering how those blokes from Slytherin were acting," Ron said, letting go of Harry and falling in step beside Hermione. "But don't mind them, okay? Now let's all go have lunch."

Hermione looked at him and then at Harry. "Thanks for the concern, but I'll just be seeing you in Herbology." And she sped off.

"What's with her?" Harry mused, walking beside Ron as they made their way to the Great Hall.

Ron shrugged. "I have no ruddy idea." He turned to Harry and changed the subject. "So, what did Madam Hooch say about the Final a few weeks ago? Any results yet?"

"Well," Harry sat down and watched as his plate was magically filled with food. "I spoke to McGonagall and I think the Quidditch Final was not counted."

"Come off it, Harry!" Ron took a sip of his drink. "Do you honestly think that they're barking mad enough to do that? Everyone'll freak out! Talk about a bloody commotion."

Harry grinned. "Don't you think everyone's had enough of a commotion already with what I did out there in the field? Even with all the detention I just had for the past weeks, McGonagall says it still isn't enough and that she's still thinking of a more 'proper way' to remind me of the 'severity' of my actions," he sighed. "Too bad that Slytherin git is still in a coma; I would've loved to see him get detention, too. His hexes were mighty painful."

"Hey now, don't say all those awful things about him," Ron countered. "Remember, he's Hermione's…er…boyfriend now…or has always been."

Harry put down his fork and studied the look on Ron's face. Then, carefully choosing his words, he said, "Er…Ron…you're not…jealous, are you? I mean, I know how you feel about Hermione, but…she's got someone else, Ron…she told us weeks ago… "

There was silence between them both for a while, until Ron sighed. "I really don't know what I'm feeling, Harry. I've been obsessed with Hermione for too long…I guess this is what real love is like; knowing she's happy with that Slytherin makes me happy for her, and maybe it's the right thing to do. It hurts like hell, but damn, it feels great at the same time." He shook his head. "That's it; I'm officially nutters."

Harry smiled and patted his back. "You're always pining about her not seeing your mature side. But let me tell you; what you just said right there is just about the most mature thing I've ever heard. Because you _are_, Ron. And someday, she's going to see that."

"Nah," Ron said, suddenly blushing. "I'm thinking she already has."

"What?"

Ron shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Well…you know how you went up to the dormitories ahead of me last night? Well…er…she kind of…stayed behind for a while, too."

Harry grinned again. "Go on…"

"And when she did, well…she kind of…" Ron turned to look at Harry. "…kissed me. On the cheek."

"Wicked!" Harry reached out and ruffled Ron's hair mockingly.

Ron laughed. "She said, 'Thank you for everything, Ron. I mean it.' And I just died right there. That's it. And even though I'd so much rather want her to kiss me somewhere else, knowing she has a boyfriend allowed me not to jump on the opportunity that she was alone with me that night. And there you go. I've gotten what I want—she's finally realized my mature side. I'm just going to have to try to keep my feelings to myself again and try to let her go. God, I'm mature."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Don't get all cocky, now."

Ron chuckled and the two of them ate their meal in silence for a while.

"Say, Harry," Ron stuffed a piece of chicken meat into his mouth. "I was thinking; if what you said before was true—you know, about how Malfoy is behind all the horrible things that are about to happen—then why was he injured so suddenly and so heavily like that for no reason? The professors aren't too keen about answering our questions and giving us any explanations about how this happened to him, either. I mean, there was Cho's accident which we think is a start of the 'people around you are at stake' thing," he paused and swallowed. "Don't you think that Malfoy's accident is another sign of that? Is Malfoy one of those 'at stake' people? Or is it really just bad karma 'coz of what he did to Cho?"

Harry sighed and drank from his cup. "I'm not really sure, Ron. In fact, I'm not so sure about any of this anymore." He faced him. "And you know what's weird? During the time when Malfoy shed his blood all-out on me and started falling down the ground, I kind of felt…really awkward. I felt like I just…snapped. And when I did, Malfoy started falling faster." Harry rubbed his fingers on his temples. "God, it's just like my fifth and sixth visions…except without the Dark Mark. I feel like it was long predicted to me that this would happen. I don't know what the hell's happening to me…or what any of this is trying to tell me anymore."

Ron kept quiet, as he watched Harry battling with his thoughts and switching from the light-hearted mood a while back to the now distressed and exhausted one.  

"Do you remember that day when the new term started?" Harry continued. "When I missed both History of Magic and Defense Against the Dark Arts, and came late to the Great Hall because I said Snape made me clean out the dungeons for no particular reason at all?"

Ron cocked his eyebrows. "Yeah, you did mention that. I remember hearing a rumor that you fainted and Cho had to charm you to take you to the hospital wing…" He chuckled. "'Course, that's not possible."

Harry kept silent, and Ron gaped at him. "Hang on, are you telling me that it _is_ true?"

Harry sighed again for the millionth time. "I fainted. At first I didn't know why the hell that happened, but then I realized that before it did, I sort of felt something inside me…and I think that something just snapped at the Quidditch Final."

"Whoa," Ron held up one hand. "Are you telling me that this is what Godric said he was experiencing in that letter you read to us?" He shook his head disbelievingly. "I reckon you've gone mad, alright. Suppose there _is_ something in you, something that's been waiting to be released which let's say _happened_ to be set free during the Quidditch Final, then wouldn't hell have broken loose? I mean, that's what the letter said, right? The reason the people are at stake is because of the chaos the release of that _thing_ inside would bring. Now let me ask you: was there any chaos? Were the people 'at stake'?"

Harry stared at his plate for a while. "Well, Malfoy _did_ get mortally injured."

Ron shook his head again. "Look, you felt like you snapped _after_ Malfoy started going ballistic and shooting blood everywhere. That doesn't make any sense. I admit everything you just said sort of explains the lot about your fifth and sixth visions and that letter of Godric's. But whatever is up, this is _not_ the reason why Malfoy is now in a coma. If you ask me, Harry, I think you're thinking too much."

After a few moments of silence, Harry bobbed his head in a sort of determined way. "Right; I _am_ thinking too much. I swear I'll get to the bottom of this."

"That's the spirit! Sorry I asked," Ron grabbed another chicken leg. "Now enough of all this talking and let's get eating!"

Hermione fiddled with her books in hand, looking around skeptically, thankful that everyone was most probably at the Great Hall at the moment and there was no one around to start mocking her again. She really needed to get away from it all.

At last, the door in front of her opened, and Hagrid poked his head out, looking worriedly at her. "Hermione!" he exclaimed, stepping aside to let her in. "Problem?"

Hermione stepped inside and sat at Hagrid's table. She put down her books and sighed. "Hagrid? Can I come live with you here for the remainder of the school year?"

"What?" Hagrid poured her a cup of tea and sat down across from her. "What d'yeh mean?"

"I can't stand any more of this, Hagrid," Hermione placed both hands on the cup. "I've been tolerating all this torture for weeks now, and I can't even have Draco by my side…I can only take so much oppression on my own."

Hagrid shook his head. "Yer not alone, Hermione. Yeh've got Harry and Ron and Ginny and Cho and all the other Gryffindors who are inside yer inner circle, the three of yeh. Not everyone's abandoned yeh, mind."

"I know that, but they're not getting any of this torment like I am! It's different; I can't take this anymore," Hermione buried her face in her hands.

Hagrid kept silent for a while, petting Fang who had snuggled on the floor beside his chair. He looked at Hermione and smiled. "I've known it all along, yeh know."

Hermione looked up at him. "What?"

"You an' Malfoy," said Hagrid. "I've known yeh both bin havin' a relationship. Ever since that night in detention."

"What do you—" she shook her head. "We weren't together yet at that time, you know. We—"

"I know yeh weren' yet, but I saw the look in yer eyes that evenin' an' I knew it'd happen pretty soon," he grinned.

Hermione looked out the window and up the castle, wondering if Malfoy was doing any better by the minute. "I really love him, Hagrid…I've tried not to but I just can't…"

"That's me point, see?" he replied, making Hermione turn back to him. "Yeh know, I once tried ter woo this girl back when I was studyin' in Hogwarts. Everyone started ter tease her about it, me bein' a half-giant an' all. I couldn' take it; I didn' wan' her ter feel bad and I didn' wan' it affectin' her life. But the thing was, I had no guts ter stand up fer this girl. In the end, she got fed up with 'em ruddy insults, and there never became an 'us'. We never got the chance."

Hermione kept silent, staring at Hagrid as he spoke. She'd never heard him talk about his past love life in school before.

"What I'm sayin' is, if Malfoy really loves yeh, he wouldn' wan' yeh ter be feelin' this way. He wouldn' wan' yer life affected by any of this. Malfoy's not like me; if he were up an' about he'd probably punch the bloody blokes who'd try ter tease yeh. Yeh remember what happened at the Three Broomsticks," grinned Hagrid. "So be strong, Hermione! If yeh really love him as well, yeh'd do what he'd fight for if he weren' in a coma: an' that's fer yeh ter live a normal life, without bein' bothered by all these insults."

Hermione looked down at the cup of tea in her hand, processing everything Hagrid had just said. In an instant, she felt tears stinging her eyes. God, she missed Malfoy so much…and knowing that everything Hagrid had just told her was true, made her want to cry right then. He was right. Hagrid was so, so right.

She sniffed to hold it all back, and looked teary-eyed at him. "Hagrid…" was all she said, but he understood everything. He reached over to give her a hug, and Hermione finally broke down and cried.

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Hey it's me again! Well, just as I promised, this installment is a bit longer than the previous one. I hope it's good enough:D God, the third movie was sooo cool! No offense to Christopher Columbus—because he made an awfully wonderful and excellent foundation for all the Harry Potter movies—but the third movie is waaaay better than the first two:D Plus, the best part of it all is that Tom Felton is so damn hot! And he's really cute when he gets all wimpy hahaha . Anyways, my summer's about to end already (darn it, I don't want to go back to school yet!!!) in about three days, so maybe I won't be able to update much again…but I promise, definitely no more three-month-long absences!!! I'm going to try really hard to keep updating once a week like I'm doing now, or once every two weeks or something. The longest will probably be once a month, but I'll try not to do that :D Anywaaaaaay, before I get all upset about the end of summer, I just want to thank everyone again for your continuous support!!! I will not let you down (I hope!!!.) Please continue R&R-ing!!! Love y'all!!!


	27. For the First Time

**PART TWENTY SIX**

**_For the First Time_**

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May came and the studying for the exams came with it. Hermione made it a point to visit Malfoy in the hospital wing every day, even though no one still was allowed to pull back the curtains draped around his bed. Everyone began cramming for the upcoming exams, but even so, no one ever forgot to give Hermione the time of day.

"Hey Granger," one of Malfoy's Chasers, Tristan Gonzales, called out to her in Charms class one day. "I'm not doing anything tonight. Wanna come over to the Slytherin dungeons and totally ruin my life, reputation, and all that my House has lived for? You get to shatter what's left of your self-respect, you know. Ain't that tempting?" The Slytherins burst out laughing.

"Oh, come off it, Gonzales! Everyone knows she can't do that! She's going to be too busy tonight being a slut in your dormitories and destroying Gryffindor's name!" Lavender Brown giggled along with the other Gryffindors.

Harry, Ron, Ginny, Dean, and Seamus all stared at them menacingly. Neville Longbottom frowned. "Yeah, yeah, one more word about Hermione from any of you and its ten points from Slytherin _and_ Gryffindor!"

Tristan and Lavender laughed again and said something about 'sticking up for the fellow Head Girl', and as Harry and Ron made a move, Hermione cleared her throat. "For your information, I'll be too busy tonight trying not to sink as low as you both have," she turned to look at Tristan. "But if _you_ are that desperate to have a girl over," she turned to Lavender, "and _you_ are that sex-starved to even mention the word 'slut', then I suggest you both get together tonight and pound each other crazy. That way, you both won't need my help to destroy _both_ your names."

Tristan and Lavender went red and shut up.

Hermione mostly studied alone, sometimes in the privacy and sentimental value of the study and sometimes at Malfoy's hospital bedside. She allowed Harry and Ron to study with her sometimes when the Easter holidays came, but even so, she preferred to be alone.

One day, when she was burying her head in her books beside Malfoy's bed, Cho came to the hospital wing.

"Hey," she greeted, and Hermione looked up at her.

"Hi," Hermione said softly. Cho pulled up a chair and sat beside her. She looked at the drapes on Malfoy's bed. "What did Madam Pomfrey say about his condition?"

Hermione looked curiously at her, then replied, "She told me that his wounds weren't bleeding anymore, but they're still there and when they do heal, the scars will probably remain forever. His coma isn't doing any better, either. It's been more than a month now…with the exams coming up in June…"

Cho continued staring at the drapes, and Hermione's words lingered in the air. "I know what you mean," Cho responded after a few minutes. "If that were Harry, I would've never left his side as well." She turned to look at Hermione, and they stared at each other for a while. Then, Cho smiled.

"Listen, Hermione, I know it hasn't been easy for you. Everyone's being a jerk because they don't understand any of this…but if it makes you feel any better, I'm kicking the ass of anyone who badmouths you in front of me." Cho winked at her. "All I'm saying is, you've still got your friends; and if you need anything, we've got your back."

Hermione looked down at the floor wordlessly, and after a few moments of silence, Cho stood up. "Well, I guess I better get going. I hope Malfoy gets well soon."

She started to leave, but Hermione stood up abruptly and gave her a hug. "Thank you so much, Cho…and I'm so sorry for everything…"

Cho looked shocked, but then she smiled and hugged her back. She knew that finally, Hermione had made her peace with her.

As the holidays went on, Hermione's friends started visiting as well. Ginny and Dean had come one day, and they all talked for a long while. Seamus and Neville had come, too, and Neville had even given her an unexpected advice.

"Hermione, I know I'm not supposed to tell you this because I especially shouldn't be breaking any rules, but," Neville grinned. "take a little peek at him sometime, okay? I know you can't stand not knowing how he is…just wait for when Madam Pomfrey leaves for a bit."

The day Harry and Ron came to visit was an unforgetful day for Hermione. They stayed there for about half a day, just talking about everything heart-to-heart. They were completely supportive of her relationship, but were very protective as well.

"One wrong move he makes on you and we'll be there in a snap to send him to hell," Ron grinned.

And as the holdays came to an end and June came fast approaching, Hermione couldn't be more touched by her friends. They truly did stand by her, and she couldn't help but feel infuriated with all of Malfoy's so-called pals. Not one of them even came to visit him or check up on him, not even his teammates whom he'd treated so well. Not even Crabbe and Goyle who used to be by his side all the time.

Not even Pansy, the slut who was always sticking to him like a moth to a flame.

She couldn't believe how insensitive they were being, how they didn't even care about how Malfoy's wounds were faring. Hermione knew she herself couldn't help it, so the night before the first of June, Hermione crept towards the hospital wing in her borrowed Invisibility Cloak from Harry, and decided to give Neville's advice a shot.

She removed the Cloak from over her head the moment she got to Malfoy's bedside, and, making sure Madam Pomfrey was out of both earshot and sight, she gently tugged at the drapes and gasped.

Malfoy was lying peacefully on the bed, the blankets covering his bare body up to his waist, which made his torso completely visible to her. There were gashes and cuts everywhere: on his chest, his abs, his arms…only his face seemed to be unblemished, and he had a bandage wrapped around his forehead and on his upper right arm. Her eyes traveled to his right hand, and saw that the cut that had long been there was now gone. Both his hands were smooth, but every other part of his body had long and deep incisions, like he was slashed a hundred times.

_Oh god…_Hermione's tears began to silently trickle down her cheeks, and she gently ran her fingers through his blond hair and on his face. She traced his half-opened lips with her thumb and sobbed. She couldn't understand what Malfoy ever did to deserve any of this, and it pained her to see him the way he was now.

Right then she knew that she would never be able to love another as much as the love she was feeling for him. He was the only one.

She cried that night on Harry and Ron's shoulders, who were both waiting for her in the common room when she returned.

_When Hermione cried herself to sleep that night, I couldn't help but hate myself…somehow I knew I was responsible, even for just a little bit. I knew Ron told me it wasn't my fault…that what happened to Malfoy was something I couldn't have prevented—or caused, for that matter. But within me, I knew it wasn't true. I was a horrible person…I couldn't even make the people around me happy now that I knew everything was 'at stake'…Godric was right—the visions are warnings of what's about to come…and I had found that I was not ready for it. I couldn't do this._

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Yey!!! Another chappie!! I guess once every two weeks it is…school's not treating me so well…crap…so glad I'm about to graduate…ANYWAYS, thanks so much once again you guys!!! 158 reviews!!!! Never in my life did I imagine I'd get that much feedback!! And so many praises, too!!! God, you guys are great!!! My heart is swelling too much…sniff sniff…I hope you liked my installment! I know most of you wanted Draco to wake up already; I'm really sorry! Some stuff have to be cleared and things have to happen first, plus it just goes to show how long it took for him to recover (and how much Hermione had to suffer…ah, the pains of true love!). Don't worry, though! He's going to come to real soon! So, 'til that time comes, I bid you goodbye for now!!! Please keep R&R-ing!!! Love y'all!!! .

Up next: Malfoy's secrets are revealed to Hermione! How will she react to the Dark Mark on his arm? Will they EVER get back together??? Aaaaaand, of course, Malfoy FINALLY wakes up!!!:D


	28. If She Only Knew

**PART TWENTY SEVEN**

**_If She Only Knew_**

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_Even as another week went by, Hermione couldn't help herself at all. I almost felt like I was her father, with her asking my permission all the time if she could visit Malfoy. I knew she was doing this not because she wanted my consent, but because she wanted to borrow my cloak. Whatever the reason was, I never did allow her to go out after hours again; I always figured that once was enough before she got caught. But the night before she snuck out again, Ron told me to just let her go, and that I, of all people, should know that sometimes, the most important things happen when one sneaks out into the night. I realized Ron was becoming more and more of a martyr for Hermione as the days went on; he was dying let Hermione go on with her love life but I knew there was always an inevitable part of him that wanted to be loved back, and it was almost too painful for me to watch the expression on Ron's face that night we let Hermione leave the common room again.****_

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_Bloody hell,_ Hermione sniffed, looking cautiously around her in the dark hallway. She had just made the loudest sneeze known to mankind, which was _not_ a very wise thing to do right now, considering how she was under Harry's Invisibility Cloak again in the dead of night. She'd known a week ago when she had first snuck out to visit Malfoy that she would be doing it again, and she was grateful that her friends supported her idea, no matter how stupid it was.

_Hermione closed the book she was reading and looked at her watch in the Gryffindor common room, causing Harry and Ron, who were seated across from her, to cock their eyebrows._

_"Hermione…?" Ron asked curiously._

_"You're sneaking off to Malfoy again, aren't you?" Harry said accusingly._

_Hermione looked at them both to see the serious look on their faces. She knew they wouldn't like it. "I'm sorry guys, but I really can't help myself…tomorrow is going to be the start of the finals and I won't be able to perform well if I don't at least see his sleeping face tonight…I'm sorry but I really have to go…"_

_She expected them to protest or to tie her up to keep her from going out after hours, but unexpectedly, Harry grinned. "That's what I thought. That's why…" he trailed off and grabbed something from inside his school bag. "…I brought the Invisibility Cloak down here tonight."_

_He handed it to her and she gaped at them both. Ron nodded. "Go on; we've got you covered."_

Hermione smiled at the thought and, seeing that her sneezing didn't seem to cause any commotion, went on ahead to the hospital wing. She was surprised to find that Madam Pomfrey was not in her usual room and was nowhere in sight, and she took this opportunity to slide out from under the Cloak and step up to where Malfoy was lying.

She quietly pulled back the curtains again, and, to her relief, saw that his injuries were looking much better now. True to what Madam Pomfrey had predicted, there were still scars all over him. Healed and closed, but still scarred.

Hermione neatly folded the Cloak and laid it as a heap on the floor beside the bed. She bent over him to gaze at his pale face, and she gently laid her hand to feel the steady rise and fall of his chest.

"Draco…" she whispered lovingly to him. "I know it's been a long while…but just so you know…I haven't stopped thinking of you…" Her hand moved up to cup his cheek, and she found herself lowering her face slowly towards his. "All this time, Draco…not…one…bit…"

At the word 'bit' she closed her teary eyes and touched her lips gently over his, letting it linger there just so she could feel his softness. She started crying again, realizing that it had been almost two months now and he was still in a coma…still unconscious…still unable to feel her love for him…

She was just about to withdraw and head back, when the most unexpected thing happened.

His lips moved.

Hermione's eyes fluttered open in surprise just as Malfoy parted his lips and plunged his tongue into her mouth. Hermione was compelled to close her eyes again and moan, not knowing what was happening but loving every second of it.

When they stopped kissing after three of the longest minutes Hermione had ever experienced, Hermione opened her eyes just in time to see Malfoy slowly and heavily opening his. And the moment she saw his beautiful grey eyes looking lovingly at her, she hugged him tight and started crying tears of joy.

"God, Draco…I thought I'd lost you…" she sobbed as Malfoy slowly stroked her hair.

He kissed the top of her head, and the first thing he whispered was, "I'm sorry…"

Hermione slowly broke from the embrace and straightened up, so that she was now back to standing beside his bed. She sniffed, getting lost in his eyes which were looking at her right now in pain—not of external pain but of an internal struggle.

Malfoy let out a small groan as he sat up from the bed in a burdened way. He reached out and cupped Hermione's cheek. "I'm sorry for being such an idiot…" He gently wiped her tears away with his thumb. "I'm sorry for always making you cry…"

"Draco—"

"I told you I love you, Hermione…" he went on, "…I still do…"

Hermione smiled and sat down on the edge of his bed beside him. She took his hand from her cheek, put it down and squeezed it, and then she leaned close to give him another kiss.

A few minutes later Malfoy moaned and his other hand went to the back of her head to deepen the kiss, and it was at this moment that Hermione's other hand ran down from stroking his chest to the part under his blankets.

Malfoy opened his eyes and his hand behind Hermione's head flew down to grab her wrist and stop her actions. He broke the kiss, saying, "Don't."

Hermione looked hurt, and Malfoy sighed and said, "Look, I…I have to show you something."

Hermione let go of his hand clasped in hers and broke free from the one gripping her wrist as Malfoy reached for the bandage on his upper right arm. Hermione watched in silence as he slowly unrolled the bandage, and when it finally came off, she gasped.

On his arm was an image, sort of like a red tattoo, of a skull, with a serpent as its tongue. It was there, clear and evident—the Dark Mark.

Tears welled up in her eyes as all her passion slowly turned to anger. What kind of a trick was he playing at?

Malfoy watched her expression worriedly. "Hermione—"

"Shut up," she snapped, glaring at him. "I knew this was just a game to you all along." And she stood up hastily to leave.

"No, wait—" Malfoy grabbed her wrist again, but this time she tugged hard to break free.

"I don't want to listen to any more of your _damn_ lies, Malfoy! You've run me around long enough! I should've known you'd never change; you've always been the _freakin__'_ Dark follower you always were!!!"

"How _dare_ you tell me what I've always been!" Malfoy snapped back, now more hurt than ever. "You don't even know _half_ of everything I've been doing all my _fcking_ life!!! You have no idea what the _hell_ I've _been_ through for you!!!"

"I know perfectly _well_ what you've been through for me!" Hermione blinked back the angry tears in her eyes. "You've been forced to pretend you loved me and you used me as your damn sex toy!!!"

"Sex toy??? You don't even _know_ me!!!"

"You're right; I don't," Hermione flared and struggled again to break free from his grasp. "And it was a mistake to think I once did!"

"Damn it, Hermione; why don't you just listen to me???" Malfoy's grip on her tightened. "I _love_ you!!!"

"You _love_ me??? How can you even _say_ that you do when you never even changed for the better???"

 "It's not like I never _tried_, okay?!?" Malfoy cried out, and Hermione saw the sincerity of the helplessness in his eyes. She kept silent, breathing heavily. Malfoy looked at her fuming form and heaved a deep sigh, letting her wrist go. He gritted his teeth and rubbed his bandaged temples exasperatedly.

"Listen," he said, more calmly now. "All my life I've tried not to follow my father's footsteps and bask in his pathetic shadow of being a Death Eater. Contrary to what you all must've thought for the past six years, I didn't want to be some stupid follower of the Dark Lord; I didn't want anyone telling me what to do and how to do them all the time. I wanted my own life; one that's not restrained by the chains of servitude to some lord. I guess you know me well enough to understand that I don't like taking orders from anyone."

Hermione swallowed heavily and roughly wiped her tears with the back of her hand, still furious but somehow obliged to stay and listen.

"But between doing my duties as an aspiring follower and experiencing the Cruciatus Curse, it's pretty obvious what I'd rather choose. So I'd been trying to be a bad ass to impress my father like the gullible idiot I was," he sighed again. "Up until the beginning of my seventh year, I had done everything I could to please him and avoid the Cruciatus Curse. He wanted me to get my Mark at the start of the year, and he assigned me different tasks to get the ingredients needed for it. I kept having these recurring nightmares about defying him, and then one night my right hand was all bloody. Turns out he had planted a huge wound on my right hand in order to use it to punish me if ever I strayed from my duties. I never did though. My nightmares were still there to remind me not to defy him, but he never got to use my wound to punish me. I was doing well and only the last task was left. That was when he finally got the chance to use the wound." He paused and looked up at Hermione. "Because _you_ happened."

Malfoy shifted in his position painfully, and Hermione almost reached out to help him. Almost.

"My father told me that the Dark Lord wants his followers at their best, so my grades mattered a lot. Since I was failing History of Magic to get my duties done, he assigned me a tutor to help pass it. He never expected the school to choose you as my tutor, but when they did, he was more than thrilled. See, my last task was to get Mudblood blood, and he wanted me to take yours."

Hermione's eyes widened. "What…"

"It wasn't supposed to be a problem because I used to hate you with all my guts, but then I…I did what I wasn't supposed to do…" Malfoy looked her in the eye. "I fell in love with you."

Hermione immediately looked away. She knew that he must somehow still be lying; he was probably making all this up. But she couldn't help but feel awful—awful that she was doubting him one bit.

"I hated myself for it so much that I wanted to die, but I was helplessly in love with you, Hermione. It was forbidden but I knew there was nothing I could do about it…but my father did. He figured out why I was delaying my last task so he made a set-up for me to be able to accomplish it. And as for my feelings for you…" He folded up one knee and rested his elbow on it, letting his head fall into his now elevated hand. "He told me that you'd served your purpose in helping me pass History of Magic and that you'd interfered with my tasks long enough. He wanted you dead."

Malfoy gritted his teeth again, as if the very memory of reliving it all was crushing him inside. "So I told him I would do anything for him as long as he left you out of all this. And he did, only with a price."

Malfoy paused for a long while and Hermione bit her quivering lip. A while back she was feeling awful, but now she was downright furious with herself. Malfoy was right about her; she had no idea about everything he'd gone through. She cursed herself for being so prejudiced and for jumping to conclusions too fast about things she didn't even understand.

She knew now why Malfoy had acted that way since the start of the new term…why he'd become such an awful person and had hurt Cho in their match…why he'd never thought of her again…why he'd gone back to treating her like dirt…why all the color in his eyes had drained…why all the love he'd felt for her had been tucked away like a distant memory, never again to be recovered…why he'd been forced to hurt her over and over again no matter how excruciating it must've been for him…

It was all because he didn't want her to be in danger.

It was all for her sake.

That was all he was thinking of.

Her sake.

And she was too blind to consider that, even with the promise he'd left behind that he would always love her.

She knew now that the promise he made was more heartfelt than anything else.

"He…left you alone…but the price I had to pay was…" he trailed off. "He got what he wanted—I managed to get the Dark Mark on the third Hogsmeade trip on March; it's on my right arm instead of the left because he told me the Dark Lord had special plans for me. Then my father successfully made me stay away from you, and made you stay away from me…and I feel so damn stupid because I'd just done what I used to swear I won't—I've become his damn pawn."

Hermione looked at him, and reluctantly said, "What happened…to the set-up your father made…?"

Malfoy lifted his head and looked back at her, surprised that she'd spoken to him. Hermione looked down at the floor and refused to make eye contact. "He arranged for Justin to be murdered by a werewolf in the Forbidden Forest one night, and I was to stand by and collect some of his blood when the dirty job was done. But somehow I couldn't do it; I approached Justin to bring him back to the castle and he thought I was behind it all when he saw me, so I just told him I was and that I'd kill him if he told anyone. I Petrified Justin and killed the werewolf myself."

So that was it…the threats she'd heard him make on Justin that day of the three-minute match…why he was injured and limping…Hermione struggled to keep her voice from trembling. "And…the Muggle-born  blood…?"

"I…didn't get it. I used my own blood from the wounds the werewolf had inflicted on me and gave that to my father as the last ingredient…"

At this, Hermione finally looked up. Tears finally triumphed over her and she frowned at him. "You idiot!!!"

Malfoy's eyes widened.

"Why did you have to do all those things??? Why did you have to be your father's chesspiece??? You could have just left me for dead and went your own way!!! Why did you have to care so much???" Hermione broke down, her whole body trembling. "You didn't have to love me, Draco!!! You didn't have to love me…so much…"

Hermione trailed off and dropped down on her knees beside his bed, covering her face with her hands as she sobbed and sobbed. Malfoy stared at her crying, weak form and hated himself all the more. He was always hurting her…he was always making her worry…he was always making her cry…

Slowly and painfully, he shifted in his position again and reached down to lift her chin, tilting her face towards his. She removed her hands from her face, still crying, and that was when Malfoy bent down to kiss her.

She cried even more when he did, and then he started kissing her cheeks, her nose, her forehead…kissing her tears away. Then, his lips moved to her ear and he whispered, "I _am_ an idiot; I always have been because I keep hurting you all the time…but I really do love you, Hermione…so much…and if I were to live I'd live my life for you; and if I were to die, I would surely die for you…"

That night was something Hermione swore she'd remember for the rest of her life.

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Weeeee!!!!! Malfoy is up; thank goodness:D Our fave couple is finally back together!!! This chap is a bit longer than usual…hope u guys liked it:D more stuff to come!!! And, of course, now that they're all lovey-dovey again, something's bound to happen….  Hope you guys will continue to stick around!!! Thanks again soooooooo very much for all your reviews!!! Very heart-warming and inspiring!!! 177 reviews!!! Oh. My. God. Thanks  a lot!!!! Love you all!!!

Coming up: Malfoy and Hermione out on the open! Malfoy gets all sweet…and stands up for the love of his life! Please continue r&r-ing!:D

P.S. Hey has anybody seen spider-man 2??? Damn, what a totally awesome movie!! Definitely a must-see!:D


	29. Against All Odds

**PART TWENTY EIGHT**

**_Against All Odds_**

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Ginny stuffed her wand back into her robe pocket the moment Hermione stood up beside her. She stood up as well and slung her bag over her shoulder. "That was _some_ Charms class; I never knew seventh year was this tough!"

Hermione fixed the books she had piled onto her arms and frowned at Ginny beside her. "Can I ask _why_ you're in my class again? Last time I checked, you were still a sixth year student here at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Ms. Ginny Weasley."

Ginny chuckled as students around them both started gathering their things and leaving the classroom of the last class of the day. "I told you; I had a Dummy take over my real class. I just came to your Charms class today because of this little game Dean and I are playing. Last time, Dean had a Dummy cover one of his classes too so that he could come to _my_ sixth year class. It's cool that Professor Flitwick didn't even notice me in his class today."

Hermione rolled her eyes in an amused way. "You're lucky Professor Flitwick decided to move the Charms final to tomorrow, or else you'll be barging in this class with more than you bargained for." She looked over her shoulder at Dean, who was talking animatedly with Harry, Ron, and Seamus. She turned to look back at Ginny. "You and Dean are so cute."

Ginny giggled, obviously delighted. She bit her lip and leaned closer to Hermione. "So, I heard Malfoy's finally woken up from his coma this morning. Have you visited him yet?"

Hermione looked cautiously around her and whispered, "Actually, I sneaked off to visit him last night. That was when he woke up, not this morning. Talk about perfect timing, huh."

"Wow, it was meant for him to wake up the moment you arrived," Ginny winked. "So? Did he tell you why he has been acting like a total jerk up until the Quidditch Final? Does he still love you? Did you guys make up?"

"Er…" Hermione paused, debating on whether or not to tell Ginny about everything Malfoy had confessed to her last night. But she decided she couldn't spill it yet, not right now. "Let's just say that the reason he's been acting that way is because he loves me very much…" she replied, smiling to herself.

"Oooh…" Ginny giggled again. "See? I told you everything will work out fine in the end…because he _did_ make that 'I love you' promise," she lowered her tone again. "Now, enough about what you guys talked about. With a smile like _that_ on your face, now I'm more interested to know what you guys _did_."

Hermione blushed so hard that Ginny laughed out loud. When she finally caught her breath, she poked Hermione and said, "Well?"

Hermione cleared her throat and whispered, blushing, "We both didn't get to sleep at all last night…Don't ask me how many times it happened because he was so amazing that I actually lost count."

"Oh my god," Ginny almost squealed. "I guess he's still got tons of energy left even after having just woken up from a two-month coma."

They both giggled and it was at that moment that Harry, Ron and Dean approached them both. "How was Charms class?" Dean asked Ginny playfully.

"With someone like you in class? It was a total eye candy," replied Ginny, and she waved goodbye to Hermione as Dean took her hand and they both left the classroom.

Ron shook his head. "I never thought I'd see the day when Ginny would flirt so much."

Hermione and Harry chuckled and the three of them started leaving the room as well.

"So," Harry turned to Hermione as they approached the doorway. "Seamus told us that Malfoy's up and about already. Have you spoken to him yet? What happened when you visited him last night?"

"Well…" Hermione looked down and decided to skip the truth for now. "I slept by his bedside last night…he was still in a pretty deep coma. I'm glad he's awake now, though I haven't really spoken to him yet since he woke up this morning—"

She broke off and both Harry and Ron stopped in their tracks when the three of them exited the classroom. Malfoy was leaning against the wall across from the Charms class' door, waiting for Hermione. He looked up from the floor and spotted her by the door, so he pushed himself from the wall and started walking towards her. The students around that hall piped down and started whispering to each other again.

Hermione was frozen in her position as she watched Malfoy coming closer. Then, her eyes widened as Malfoy stopped in front of her, leaned close, and gave her a small peck on the lips. Everyone around them started buzzing, and Hermione could feel the tension coming off from her two friends on either side of her, especially from Ron. She knew they both supported the relationship, but she didn't think the two of them could handle any public display of affection just yet.

"Hey," Malfoy greeted her, acting as if Harry and Ron weren't there staring at him. "Can I talk to you for a sec…?"

"Er…" Hermione glanced at Harry and Ron and swallowed heavily, then she looked back at Malfoy and forced a smile. "Sure."

"Wicked." Malfoy grinned and gently took the pile of books from Hermione's arms to help her. Hermione bit back a flattered smile, and as she fell in step beside Malfoy, she turned back to mouth "See you later" to Harry and Ron. The moment she rounded the next corner with Malfoy by her side, she could almost hear the spectators behind her gossiping even more.

Hermione sighed and shook her head, choosing to ignore them. She looked lovingly at Malfoy, carrying her books for her beside her, and smiled again. "How are you feeling? I'm surprised Madam Pomfrey let you out of the hospital wing already." She eyed him up and down. "In fact, I'm surprised how incredibly fine you look."

A streak of red stained Malfoy's face as he looked down and blushed, and Hermione realized what she'd just said. "I—I mean…" she stammered, "What I meant was…er…you don't look like you just woke up from a two-month coma," she finished, blushing as well.

Malfoy bit his lip. "Madam Pomfrey was kind of surprised too, mind. She said she expected me to stay in the hospital wing for the remainder of the exam week." He shifted the pile of books on his arms. "But I'm okay now, though. The scars are still there but they don't hurt much, and I can pretty much move every part of my body normally. The only thing that still hurts a bit is my head, but maybe that's just because I stayed in bed too long. Besides," he looked sideways at Hermione. "I didn't want to be cooped up in that hellhole for long; I wanted to be out here with you."

Hermione smiled sweetly at him, and they continued walking in silence for a while. Hermione took that moment to take in what was happening right now; she and Malfoy were walking side by side as a couple, right in front of everybody. It was a picture she'd never thought would happen, and going public with their relationship was something she'd never thought would come true.

But here they were, going against all odds, and taking on the challenge of their controversial relationship, together. Just the way she'd always wanted it to be.

Hermione cleared her throat. "Draco…?"

"Yeah?"

"I know you've just been to the hospital wing, and you haven't been back here at the grounds for long, but…" Hermione paused. "Have you noticed how--?"

Malfoy grinned. "Of course I've noticed. I guess it's a pretty predictable reaction from everyone. In fact, I was putting a lot of thought into it last night while you were sleeping."

Hermione looked at him. "I fell asleep?"

"For about five minutes," Malfoy smiled teasingly. "You were pretty exhausted at around the tenth time."

Hermione giggled. "I can't believe you kept track!"

Malfoy winked at her and Hermione punched his right arm playfully, but for a split second she saw him wince so slightly that she almost didn't see it.

Almost.

Hermione's smile faded as she remembered that no matter how much they tried to go on with their lives, and no matter how much they tried to pretend that nothing was wrong, there was nothing that could change the fact that the Dark Mark was embedded clear and vivid on Malfoy's right arm underneath his robe sleeves. He was a full-fledged Death Eater.

Malfoy noticed her change in expression, so Hermione quickly changed the subject. "So, what did you want to 'talk to me for a sec' about?"

"Nothing really," he replied. "I just wanted you to be the first person I spent my time with the moment I stepped out of the hospital wing."

Hermione blushed again and looked down. Malfoy really was the sweetest.

"Listen," Malfoy said, rounding another corner with her. "I know you're having a hard time dealing with all these stupid students who have nothing better to do but snoop into our personal life. But let me just tell you that I don't give a damn about my father anymore; I'll always be here beside you to send his and everyone else's ass to hell," he grinned, then he lowered his voice to a more serious tone. "Besides…the moment we woke up from our first night together, I told you that no matter what problems may come, we'll face them together. And I intend to keep that promise no matter what."

Hermione was on the verge of tears when Malfoy finished talking. What he'd just said were the words she'd been wanting to hear ever since the accident during the Quidditch Final. And even though she'd waited this long, she knew it was all definitely worth the wait.

She was just about to say "thank you" when Malfoy stopped walking outside an office door, and Hermione realized they had been walking and walking and were now at the dungeons.

Malfoy set down Hermione's pile of books on the floor for a while and said, "Madam Pomfrey said Snape wanted to see me when I got out…" He reached out and tucked a few strands of Hermione's hair behind her ear. "Do you mind waiting for a while…? I'm just going to go see what Snape wants…I won't take too long, I promise."

Hermione smiled at him. "Don't worry about me; just go on and talk to him. I'll be fine waiting for you out here."

Malfoy looked uncertain. "Are you sure…?"

Hermione stepped closer to him and gave him a long, slow kiss, and when she stepped back she got the satisfaction of seeing Malfoy's eyes still closed in pleasure.

She smiled as Malfoy slowly opened his eyes. "There's plenty more where that came from," she said, tracing her lips with her own finger. "So go in there and get it over with so that I can have you to myself." She grinned.

Malfoy smiled and entered Snape's office at once.

She leaned against the dungeon wall the moment she was alone, pondering on everything that was about to change now that they were back together and out on the open…and most especially, now that Malfoy was a certified Death Eater. Pretty soon he would have to be at the Dark Lord's every command whether he liked it or not, or else suffer the excruciating consequences.

Hermione sighed loudly but regretted it the moment she did. Three figures were slowly making their way down the stone steps of the dungeons towards her, and she wished she'd held back the loud noise she'd just made.

Hermione bit her lip as the figures came nearer, but she sighed again when she saw whom they were.

Pansy was walking down the steps with Crabbe and Goyle on either side of her, and she rolled her eyes the instant she saw Hermione waiting outside Snape's office.

"I wonder," Pansy said out loud, pondering something in a mocking way, "what a grimy Mudblood like you is doing outside Snape's office?" She stopped right in front of Hermione, and the two boys did the same. "Come to sleep with the professor and ruin his life too, haven't you, Granger?" she sneered. "I bet you're deciding right now where the best place to do it in his office is."

Hermione stared at Pansy in the eye loathingly. "You're a slut, right Pansy? You should know."

Pansy's eyes flared and she immediately raised her hand to slap Hermione, but Crabbe grabbed her wrist and put it down. He took a step towards Hermione, making her press herself more against the wall, and glared menacingly. "Listen here, Mudblood; you better learn to shut your dirty mouth up. Just because Draco's by your side now that he's awake, doesn't mean we can let you off the hook just like that."

"You bloody better know that you ruined Draco's life, Granger," Goyle, who had also taken an intimidating step towards her, spitefully said. "Everything was fine and he was living his life the way he should until _you_ came along. You changed everything and you took him away from _us_, his _real_ friends. And we won't just stand idly by and support the fact that he fell in love with a _disgusting_ Mudblood like _you_."

Hermione's eyes darted between the two of them, looming over her with death glares in their looks. She knew she was helpless right now, but she glared strongly at them both and spat out, "Some friends _you_ are, then."

The minute she said this, both boys frowned and she briefly saw Goyle reach abruptly into his pocket to raise his wand at her before she shut her eyes tight and gritted her teeth, prepping herself up for the blow she knew was coming. But instead of hearing Goyle's enchantment and her own cry of pain, she heard something else—there was a sudden smack, a thud, and Goyle was now groaning in pain, with Pansy shrieking in the background.

Hermione flicked her eyes open and the first thing she saw was Goyle sprawled on the dungeon floor, clutching his stomach, his face contorted in pain. She looked up to see that Malfoy was standing over him with his fist raised, an extremely angry look on his face.

For a millisecond Crabbe stared in shock at Goyle on the ground, before he frowned at Malfoy and went at him. But Malfoy pulled out his own wand from his pocket and pointed it directly at Crabbe's throat, causing him to freeze in his position and gulp. Pansy was practically in tears as she watched Malfoy's face, and Hermione looked at him intently and saw why.

It was a look Hermione had never seen on his face before, a look that could've made everyone seeing it to jump a hundred yards away from him, a look that told anyone who would see it to lay off—it was a look of pure death, something that explained to Hermione why his rumored Dark spells were so popular and why everyone in Slytherin feared and respected him. It was the first time Hermione saw why he was meant to be a real Dark follower…a true Death Eater. It was the most evil look she had ever seen.

Malfoy gripped his wand tighter as he pointed it even nearer to Crabbe's throat, and Hermione noticed that his hand wasn't trembling one bit. "If _any_ of you ever even _think_ of touching her again—"

"Draco, stop it," Hermione pleadingly said, placing a hand on his chest and another on his hand that was holding the wand. She watched as the deathly expression on his face faded away when he looked at her, and then he slowly lowered his hand and shoved his wand back into his pocket.

Pansy was sobbing silently in the background as Crabbe knelt on the floor to help Goyle up, and the moment they were both standing, Crabbe looked at Malfoy with a disappointed look that crushed Hermione's heart. "What's happened to you, Draco…?" was all he said, and as he supported Goyle, the two of them walked away.

Malfoy turned to look at Pansy, who looked at Hermione and then at him with tears in her eyes as if to ask, "Why are you doing this?" She stayed that way for a few seconds before she spun around and ran, her now more evident sobs echoing through the dungeon walls.

The moment they were alone, Malfoy sighed heavily and shook his head, then he cupped his hand on Hermione's cheek and whispered, "You okay?"

Hermione feebly nodded as she couldn't find the strength to answer him, and Malfoy wrapped his arms around her in an embrace. Hermione closed her eyes as she felt him kiss the top of her head, and then she looked up at him and asked, "Goyle was right, wasn't he?"

Malfoy blinked, clueless, at her. "What?"

"What Goyle said to me a while back…" replied Hermione sadly. "That everything was fine until I came along…I changed everything, Draco…I took your friends away from you…I ruined your life…"

Hermione looked down and Malfoy studied the sad look on her face for a moment, before he gently lifted her chin up to face him. "My life has been damned from the start and I've lived as a pawn day by day…The people around me aren't really true friends, and I've never felt love the way I'm feeling it for you. I've been dead and doomed and I've never been truly alive until I fell for you…" Malfoy smiled sweetly at her. "You saved my life, Hermione…you're my angel…"

Hermione snuggled closer to him and they stayed that way, cuddled in an embrace outside Snape's office, for a long, long time.

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Sorry for the little delay! Hope I didn't keep you guys waiting too long:D You are all so amazing, you know? I almost fell out of my seat when I saw that I was on 71 author alert lists!!! OMG…it's too overwhelming…sniff sniff…hopefully this new chappie is satisfactory for you guys:D Malfoy's kinda cheesy, isn't he? Wish he'd go that cheesy on ME hehehe! Anyways, I think everybody's ready for a little hot intimacy again…so stick around guys!!! Please keep r&r-ing!!! I simply looove your support!!! :D


	30. Insatiable

**PART TWENTY NINE**

**_Insatiable_**

_I had almost forgotten all about my seventh premonition, and how possibly dangerous Malfoy was. I had been letting Hermione see him without even doing anything about it. And then it came: my eighth dream. I was in the forest again, and lying there was Hermione, injured and unconscious on the ground. I saw a flash of a black cloak, a book, a wand, green light…and by the terrible fear that gripped my heart the moment I woke up, I knew it was going to happen sometime soon…I dared not tell Hermione, but I knew that her relationship with Malfoy had everything to do with it._

_…_

_…_

_…_

The exam week went on and it was a while before Hermione ever got to spend time with Malfoy again. That day when Hermione had a mishap with Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy, it turned out that Snape had called for Malfoy to explain to him that since he'd just woken up from his coma right on the start of exam week and had missed a lot of classes, he was going to have to take special exams different from the exams that everyone else in the seventh year was taking. Therefore, Malfoy wasn't in any of his regular classes, much less in any of the classes that Gryffindor and Slytherin had together. Hermione couldn't even spend any time with him during breaks or at night because it was during these times that the professors were having sessions with Malfoy to teach him everything that he'd missed during the time when he was in a coma. Malfoy was always busy and Hermione barely got to see him, save for the rare moments when they would cross paths in the hallway.

This wasn't really the picture Hermione had painted in her thoughts when she used to imagine how it would be like when Malfoy woke up from his coma and they went public. But then again, she was thankful that at least she was now able to handle the criticisms more strongly knowing that Malfoy was in a good condition somewhere, loving her with all his heart.

The second to the last day of the exam week came, and as she, Harry, and Ron were sitting at the Great Hall during lunch, making some last minute cramming, she realized just how much she missed him already.

Hermione sighed and looked across at the Slytherin table where she knew she wouldn't find Malfoy, because he was elsewhere having another session with the professors. God, how she missed the way he ate…

"Stop thinking about all your visions again, Harry," Ron said, breaking Hermione's thoughts. "What with the exams not over yet, you're head's going to explode."

Harry buried his hands into his messy hair and stared at the book he was reading on the table in front of him, looking at the words but not really seeing them. "I was able to keep my mind off them all but now that the week's almost over it's all haunting me back again…damn it…"

Ron sighed. "I know what you need." He took out his wand and Hermione watched him point it at Harry's book. "_Flippageus___

The pages on Harry's book slowly turned page by page and stopped when Ron willed them to. The book was now turned to a page where there was a detailed diagram of what the ancient witches and wizards called, "Broomstick of the Future".

"Check out that wicked thing and imagine yourself riding it, and you'll feel tons better," Ron said, grinning while he placed his wand back into his pocket.

Hermione gave him a smile, seeing as Harry was now staring at the broomstick diagram intently. "Wow Ron; to have known that diagram was there meant that you actually browsed through our book and maybe even read it," Hermione teased. "I'm impressed."

"Well, you know me; I'm full of surprises," Ron grinned smugly.

"Plus I didn't know you were practicing the Page Turner Charm, which, by the way, you thought was useless," Hermione added in an "I told you so" kind of way.

"Well, I wasn't actually practicing it," replied Ron, "But when I went home for Christmas, Fred and George were goofing around and making practical jokes on me all the time because they said they 'missed me'. I couldn't find a way to have revenge without arousing Mum and Dad's suspicions, so I just played it simple—I secretly turned the pages of everything they were reading all the time. They didn't know what was happening; no one else knows about the Charm because that spell is just new and we're the first batch of students to learn it. It drove them crazy; they couldn't read anything—not even their favorite 'Joke Shop Manual'—properly. They even thought the poltergeist in the attic went loose and was playing a trick on them," Ron laughed, obviously pleased with himself. "That Page Turner Charm is probably the most beneficial charm I've ever learned."

Hermione chuckled and shook her head. "Some things never change," she grinned. "Anyway…I better get going; McGonagall wants Neville and I to help Hagrid feed the giant squid in the lake; it's been really sick this morning and it won't eat anything." She patted Ron's hand and stood up. "I hope the two of you do well in our next exam," she said, looking at Harry (who was still staring at the diagram) and back at Ron. "Wish me luck with the squid."

"Don't fall into the water," Ron winked at her.

Hermione chuckled again and left the Great Hall. Just as she was about to round a corner, she felt a pair of hands roughly take her from behind and cover her mouth as she struggled to scream, and then she realized she was being pulled back into a small, dark, and deserted stockroom where she momentarily caught a glimpse of various unused tools piled messily on top of one another. It was when the stockroom door was shut closed that everything went black, and she couldn't see a thing, much less hear anything but her muffled cries.

She was immediately slammed against the cold, hard wall of the tiny stockroom. And as she raised her fists to push back her assailant, her mouth was uncovered and the pair of hands grabbed both her wrists and pinned them against the wall instead. She was just about to scream when her mouth was covered again by a rough and hungry kiss that made her moan unexpectedly in the pleasure of its intensity, and when her lips were forcefully parted by a hungry tongue, she recognized her attacker to be none other than Malfoy.

At this stroke of realization, she stopped struggling and dove her own tongue into his mouth, and they kissed breathlessly for who-knew-how-long. When she was practically out of breath, she finally broke the kiss, panting heavily and feeling that her lips had swollen to thrice the original size because of the passion of the kiss.

As she keenly gasped for air, she heard Malfoy's own ragged breaths come close to her ear and whisper, "It's been a while." He greedily licked her neck the moment he said this, pushing her even more against the wall and gripping both her wrists tighter. She groaned at the pain yet enjoyed his manly force on her, and she arched her head as he licked his way down to her collarbone.

He let go of her wrists and expertly popped open her robe buttons, and then he reached under her blouse and impatiently raised it, so that he could lick at her lacy bra.

"Oh, yes…" Hermione moaned, feeling his tongue on her aroused and rock-hard nipple against the thin cloth of her underwear. She squirmed and hated herself for even bothering to wear her bra, seeing as how it was being a big hindrance to her pleasure right now. She moaned again in a plea, and Malfoy bit the thin cloth and tore it with his teeth, finally making contact with her plump and juicy mounds.

Hermione called out his name as he sucked at her, and she impatiently tore off her other cup so that both her breasts were now free from bondage. Malfoy gratefully fondled and squeezed the other one he wasn't sucking, and Hermione felt herself wetting her panties continuously.

When Malfoy's mouth switched to the other breast, she buried her fingers into his hair and grunted her appreciation. She suddenly forgot all about the squid and her exams and Harry and Ron, who would be waiting for her at their next class. She even forgot all about wondering why the hell Malfoy wasn't in his sessions and what on earth possessed him to grab her like this. What was important was that it was happening. Period.

Malfoy stopped sucking and eagerly kissed her lips again, wanting so bad to taste her that he bruised both their lips. When Hermione began to taste blood, she felt him press his own body against hers, and she instantly felt his hard arousal on her inner thigh. She groaned his name into his mouth and she dampened her panties again, wanting so much to have that thing on her leg shoved hard into her crotch where it rightfully belonged.

She was panting now more than ever when Malfoy stopped the kiss. He moved again to her ear and growled lowly in the huskiest and sexiest tone Hermione had ever heard, "Tonight. At the study. I can't take it anymore."

Every nerve in Hermione's body tingled with an overwhelming erotic sensation at his words and she grabbed his collar, rolled and pinned him against the wall. She breathed out, "Let's do it right now."

Malfoy groaned throatily, as she kissed him and reached down to grab his erection against his pants. She wrapped one leg around his waist and pushed herself onto him, positioning what she was holding into her own covered womanhood. They both groaned into each other because of the longing that they couldn't fulfill, cursing their clothing for blocking their way to unsurpassable bliss. Malfoy quickly reached down to pull down his pants, but then the locked door to the dark stockroom began to jingle and they both broke apart, panting so much that they had to cover their mouths to suppress their heavy breathing.

"It's locked, my dear; nothing could be in here. I don't know why you're sniffing the door so much," said a voice that belonged to none other than the caretaker, Mr. Filch, outside. A faint purring and meowing was heard in reply to Mr. Filch and the door stopped jingling as they heard footsteps walking away.

A few seconds of silence passed them by, until Hermione blindly reached for Malfoy's hand in the darkness and said, "We'll have to save the heat for tonight."

Malfoy pulled her towards him and instantly bit into her neck in reply, making her moan again, and then he said, "I'll be coming back to finish off this mark on you tonight."


	31. Behind the Scars

**PART THIRTY**

**_Behind the Scars_**

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****

Hermione straightened up and dusted her hands, standing naked in front of the fireplace. She watched as the fire crackled into life, having just thrown a few more logs into it that night. She flipped her hair behind her bare shoulders and quietly walked back to the couch, stopping to admire the view right in front of her.

Malfoy was lying sprawled on the couch, completely asleep and completely naked, with only the messy blankets covering his lower body. His untidy blond hair was all over his face in adorable un-orderliness, and his swollen lips were half-open and enticingly tempting Hermione to go and kiss them again, the way she'd been doing all night. She watched as his bare chest moved up and down in a steady rhythm, and her thoughts went back to the time outside in the Quidditch fields when that rhythm stopped for a while.

Horror gripped Hermione's heart again as she remembered how she'd almost lost him, and she shook her head to clear away the thought. What was important was that he was back here with her, terribly and heavily scarred but definitely alive and well.

Hermione smiled to herself and gingerly slid into the covers beside him on the couch, her back to him. She snuggled against him as there was only very few space on the couch for them both, but she liked having to squeeze in against his naked warmth.

Her return apparently woke Malfoy up, and he instinctively wrapped his arms around her waist from behind, kissing the back of her head lovingly. She smiled to herself again as Malfoy buried his face into her nape and drifted back to sleep, and she took her book on the floor and continued reading, knowing fully well that she still had one more exam left to take the next day.

Hermione stared intently at her book, but her eyes couldn't seem to focus on the words. Her mind somehow kept lingering onto something else…either that, or it was just because Malfoy's breath on the back of her neck was making her hot all over again.

One of her hands reached down and started to stroke Malfoy's arms around her waist gingerly. "Draco…?"

"Mmm…?" came Malfoy's muffled and extremely sleepy reply on her neck.

"I was wondering…" she began, "we've been talking to each other and spending time with one another recently…and we even had sex that night when you woke up in the hospital wing…and tonight, too…"

Malfoy didn't move an inch. "So…?" he said again into her skin.

"So," she continued. "You told me that you avoided me at any cost at the start of the new term and treated me like dirt because your father said he'd spare my life if you did just that. And now that we're back together…I was wondering why your father hasn't sent his spawns of death for me just yet."

Malfoy shifted in his position a bit, obviously forced to wake up, and Hermione felt all the blood rush to her face when she felt his tip come in slight contact with her butt. Malfoy sighed and said, "I'm not really sure why my father hasn't done any drastic actions yet, but you don't have to worry about anything, okay, love? I swear I'll keep an eye on you and protect you no matter what, so no harm's going to come within a hundred mile radius around you. I really should've just done this from the start…that way I wouldn't have hurt you in any way."

Hermione grinned at his incredible sweetness, and decided that she really didn't have anything to worry about, now that she's back into his loving arms again. She squeezed his hand on her stomach and went back to reading her book, finding it easier now to concentrate.

She was just about to turn to the next page when she felt Malfoy running soft kisses on her nape, and she whined in protest, "Draco…"

"Sorry," he murmured, tickling her with his breath, "but you woke me up, so deal with it."

Hermione giggled as he started kissing his way to her ear and nibbled her earlobe. "C'mon, Draco…I'm trying to study here."

Malfoy smiled and whispered, "Can I help it if I'm horny?"

His words sent a tingling sensation down her crotch, but she fought her inner desires and said, "Stop it…please? I'm having my last exam tomorrow, in case you haven't noticed, and I haven't—" She wasn't even able to finish her sentence because Malfoy's hands had traveled from her waist to her breasts, and she moaned as he molested her skillfully, causing her nipples to harden at his touch.

She dropped her book with a thud on the ground altogether when he pulled her even closer still towards him and she moaned, his arousal completely pressing against her ass cheeks.

"Draco…" she breathed weakly at her last attempts to stop him, no matter how much she knew she'd give in soon enough. "Please…you know how important exams are to m—oh god," she bit her lip when Malfoy shifted on top of her and started sucking at her round juiciness.

The two of them started to sweat—thanks to the fire Hermione had just revived a while ago—and her womanly juices started to wet the cloth of the couch they were on as Malfoy continued to suck. He left her sweaty breasts for a while and looked at her pleasured face, asking seductively, "Do you want me to have sex with you…?"

Hermione whimpered weakly, "No, not right n—yes…yes…oh Draco…"

Malfoy had inserted a finger into her already wet spot and was now rubbing her clit like there was no tomorrow. He grinned as he watched her expression—eyes closed in protest but mouth open in sheer pleasure. He decided he wanted to toy with her more.

He smiled mischievously. "If you say so." He removed his finger and positioned himself above her. At this, Hermione opened her eyes at him. "No, I wasn't saying—" She groaned out his name the moment he entered her, and all thoughts of disapproval flew out her brain faster than anyone could say, "Examination."

She wrapped both her legs around him as they both reached their climax, and when it was all over, Malfoy bent down and kissed both her nipples before burying his face between her breasts, both of them panting and sweating heavily.

"You are _so_ anti-exams," Hermione said, hugging his head closer to her bosom.

Malfoy chuckled and stroked her legs, which were still draped around his waist, considering he was still inside her. "Damn, I would've freaked if I wasn't the first one you'd ever had sex with. You have no idea how glad I am that none of your bloody admirers have ever tried to sleep with you."

"Hah," Hermione snorted jokingly at the thought. "As if Ron would've had the guts."

She expected Malfoy to laugh or to start his Weasley-bashing again, but the reaction she elicited from him was totally not what she had in mind. Malfoy lifted himself up from her chest and stared at her with an expression that almost looked like he was back to the old Malfoy again from their previous Hogwarts years, and Hermione was almost ashamed to be lying naked under him. He raised his eyebrow. "_What?_"

Hermione swallowed. "Er…"

"Weasley _likes_ you? Until _now_? How the hell did you know?"

"H-Harry," Hermione stammered. "Harry told me one night and—" she stopped when she saw the irritation flicker in his eyes and she said, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, but Harry told me Ron's feelings were pretty obvious so I thought that maybe you'd already know about it—"

"Of course I _knew_ about it; everyone can see right through that weasel!" Malfoy snapped in an annoyed way. "I always thought it was just some _stupid_ crush, but if he still likes you up until now, _especially_ now that it's almost been _seven_ _years_ and _especially _now that you have a _boyfriend_, then this whole bloody thing isn't just some crush that bloke's got on you!" He straightened up and angrily started to remove her legs from around him.

"But Draco, he's not going to—" She groaned as Malfoy pulled himself from within her, much to her dislike, and sat up on the couch. "—come barging into our relationship to steal me away from you! He now knows that we've been together practically since the beginning of the school year and Ron's not the type who—"

"One quick question, Hermione," Malfoy held up a finger and cut her off as she sat up and tried to snuggle against him again. "How did you react to his obviously long-kept true feelings for you? If you're so sure that Weasley's not the type who'd come snatching away what doesn't belong to him, and that you yourself don't want that to happen, then you _would_ turn him down, wouldn't you?"

Hermione paused for a while as his words sunk in, and she struggled hopelessly for a good explanation, because she knew her answer wouldn't be what he was looking for. "Well, I…er…didn't actually turn him down…"

"You _didn't???_" Hermione winced as Malfoy's tone rose higher. "Then what _did_ you do, then??? Have him strip off your clothes and pound you hard???"

Hermione blinked back her tears as his sarcastic words and the way he was almost shouting at her stung her like hell. It was the first time he sincerely got mad at her all this time they were together, and she didn't realize how awful it would feel. But then again, she knew she couldn't blame him for reacting this way; it truly was her fault. "I…thanked him…and then I…I…" she trailed off. "I kissed him on the cheek."

She expected him to start yelling at her now, but instead he just rolled his eyes in pure resentment at her, which hurt even more. "Great, just great; now my girlfriend's best friend who's seriously in love with her just got the perfect 'egging on' that he's been waiting for all his life: a 'thank you' and a kiss. Now he's got _no reason whatsoever_ to even _think twice_ about swooping in and stealing her away from me. Perfect."

Hermione tried to pretend that his comment didn't hurt her, but as she watched him search the pile of clothing on the floor for his robes, she found that she couldn't hold it in. "Why are you being such an ass about this?" she said through tears in her eyes. "_You're_ the one that I love, have you forgotten that? _You're _the one that I slept with! _You're _the one who's made my life so much better! So why are you being such a jealous brat??? I've told you that Ron's not like that! He'd _never_ take me away from you! He'd _never_ make a move on me! He knows it would be wrong because I love you; he wouldn't want to ruin my relationship with you because he's my best friend, for goodness' sake! But I can't just turn him down so hard the way you want me to!"

"Yeah, you can't; so you had to give him a _kiss_, now, hadn't you? Oh, yes; that's _loads_ better," he replied sarcastically, grabbing her robes by mistake and handing it over to her.

She snatched her robes from his hands angrily. "Fine!!! Be that way!!! If you want to let something as _stupid_ as this start a fight between us, then so be it!!! I should've known you'd overreact to—"

"Nickel Knacks."

Hermione stopped short in mid-sentence as a voice from outside the study said the password. Hermione and Malfoy's eyes widened and they looked at each other in horror, their argument flying out of their heads. Who could possibly want to enter their secret study at this late hour? And to think they were both naked on the couch together, their clothes strewn all over the carpet…

Hermione immediately started putting on her robes, which were too thin so that despite having put them on, her bare skin could still be slightly seen underneath the black cloth. She didn't bother to look for her underwear, knowing they—just like most of her underwear—were probably already torn by Malfoy anyway. Malfoy fumbled desperately for his clothes on the floor, but thanks to Hermione's expertise in ripping his clothes off, he couldn't find them anywhere. Instead, he just wrapped the blankets around his waist just in time when the entrance to the study opened.

They both looked up to see, in horror, that their headmaster was standing right there, looking at them.

Hermione flushed like hell as Dumbledore's eyes widened at the sight before him, and suddenly the tension in the room was too thick for words. Luckily, Malfoy had mustered enough guts to say, "Er…good evening, Professor Dumbledore…"

Dumbledore stared at the two of them, and Hermione noticed that Malfoy wasn't blushing a bit, despite his half-naked glory. He did, however, run his hand through his disheveled hair in attempts to make himself at least a tad bit presentable.

Finally, after sixty of the longest seconds Hermione had ever experienced, Dumbledore smiled amusedly at them both, and replied, "Good evening."

Hermione swallowed heavily as she watched Dumbledore walk towards them and take a seat on one of the chairs in front of them. This was it. They were in _big_ trouble…something so big that she'd have to be expelled and—

Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt Malfoy take her hand beside her and squeeze it, as if to assure her that everything would be alright, and that if it wouldn't be, he'd be there right beside her all the way. Hermione squeezed back, realizing that their argument a while back had been really silly and when it came right down to it, Malfoy still loved her anyway.

Finally gaining a little bit more air of confidence now, she said, "Is…there something wrong, Headmaster…?"

"Well," Dumbledore began, seeming to ignore the fact that Hermione and Malfoy were there in the study, _way_ after hours, having extremely prohibited sex. "I had been searching the whole of the castle for the both of you for a while tonight…never thought I'd find you _here_ but decided to give it a try, and thankfully, here you both are."

Hermione bit her lip. Dumbledore didn't seem too abhorred by all this…perhaps he'd expected it…? So why was he looking for them, then?

"So, I suppose you two are wondering why I've been searching for you." Dumbledore cleared his throat. "I'm afraid there is something you should unfortunately know." He looked at Malfoy in the eye.

"Oh, er…" Hermione shifted in her position. "Maybe I ought to give you two some time…"

Dumbledore looked at her and smiled. "No, my dear, stay. Both of you need to hear everything I'm about to say."

"What is it, Professor?" asked Malfoy, who now seemed mesmerized by the tidings Dumbledore was there to bring.

"Mr. Malfoy…" Dumbledore said grimly, "I'm afraid your father…has passed away."

Hermione's eyes widened. Did she just hear him right? Lucius Malfoy? Dead? No wonder harm hadn't come Hermione's way when she and Malfoy started having contact again…but how could Lucius' death be possible? Could it be that…?

Malfoy's grip on Hermione's hand tightened, and she turned to look at his expression. He was staring at Dumbledore as if he hadn't said anything weird, nothing quite incredible, nothing tragic at all. After a few seconds, he shook his head. "N-No…it can't be…" He grinned, and then he chuckled. "You've got to be kidding. My dad's not dead."

Hermione's heart wrenched itself as she saw Malfoy laugh in denial, obviously thinking that it was all some sick joke. But from the way Dumbledore had said it, Hermione knew from the bottom of her heart that it was anything but a trick. _Oh, Draco…_

"I gravely wish I were kidding, my dear boy…" Dumbledore said softly. "I'm sorry, Draco."

As Malfoy's laughter slowly ebbed away and trailed off, Hermione found it to be the loneliest sound she'd ever heard in her life. Tears welled up in her eyes as she saw Malfoy glance at his now unwounded right hand and grit his teeth, apparently trying hard to let it all sink in without breaking down. She knew Lucius had never been particularly good to him, but to hear Lucius die was still obviously painful for him.

"I don't…I don't get it…" Malfoy said, his voice trembling. "How…?"

"I came here tonight to explain to you what I hope will be enough for now, for it is all I know and all I have found out," Dumbledore said. "I came here tonight to explain what happened to you during the Quidditch Final."

Hermione's eyes flicked towards Dumbledore, as he began to speak, "I know about the Dark Mark on your arm, Draco; Poppy and Minerva showed it to me when it burnt black that night, but I told them not to tell anyone else about it."

"It…burnt black?" Hermione asked, knowing fully well what that phenomenon meant.

"Yes, Hermione, it did," Dumbledore replied. "Death Eaters are given tasks to collect the ingredients needed for the Dark Mark, and one of the main components is the blood of a Muggle-born, from which Voldemort draws power and strength. He feeds on Muggle-borns' fear of him, and with the blood of Muggle-borns in every Dark Mark of every Death Eater, he grows stronger with each of his calls to his followers. That is why he's at his best with his faithful followers around him."

"What the hell does he have to do with my father?" Malfoy asked suddenly, and Hermione noticed that Malfoy's hatred for the Dark Lord was becoming more evident, now that they both knew the Dark Lord somehow had something to do with Lucius' death.

"Your father has long been tasked by Voldemort to raise you at your best, Draco. You were special, hence the Dark Mark on your right arm instead of your left. The Dark Lord saw great potential in you, a potential he wanted to use so much that when you became an official Death Eater, he couldn't wait to summon you and start doing his bidding…" Dumbledore trailed off, letting a hint hang in the air.

"Oh my god…" Hermione gasped softly, realization sinking in. "He must've wanted to summon you that night of the Quidditch Final…but your Dark Mark doesn't contain Muggle-born blood…it contains _your_ blood—pure blood…" she squeezed his hand again. "So when he called for you, it must've backfired…and instead of being summoned to him, you were—"

"Scarred from head to toe," Malfoy finished angrily, glaring at the floor as if the Dark Lord's face were engraved on it. "But if the bloke failed to feed on Muggle-born fear that night because his summoning of me backfired, then why was _I_ the one who got so bloody beaten up?"

"I am not too sure about why random cuts appeared all over you, for as far as I know, Voldemort's summoning has never backfired before. Perhaps this is truly the effect of it on the Death Eater being summoned, but this is not the only outcome," Dumbledore cleared his throat. "Voldemort, too, was injured…a reverse effect of the strength a summoning of a follower was supposed to bring."

Malfoy frowned. "Glad to hear he was weakened."

"Yes, but do you know how Voldemort summons a Death Eater, Draco?"

"He touches the Dark Mark of a Death Eater beside him so that everyone else will feel the burning of the Mark and Apparate right away to him," Malfoy answered impatiently. "But what's—"

"Did you know, Draco, that the Dark Mark Voldemort touched in order to summon you was your father's? They were in your house that night—your house elf, Misty, told me…and when instead of his special follower at his side in an instant, what Voldemort got was a weakened state…he became extremely furious…" Dumbledore paused again, watching Malfoy's face contort into an expression of pure fury as the conclusion of his father's death dawned on him. "Voldemort isn't one to show mercy, Draco…he gives no room for mistakes and does not believe in forgiveness and second chances…I truly am sorry, my boy…"

Hermione saw that it was getting harder and harder for Malfoy to hold in his anger at the Dark Lord, and he was trying his best to keep himself from shouting out loud how unfair and unjust everything was. "And…what about…mother…?"

Dumbledore kept silent for a while, and then he looked down on the floor sadly. "To Voldemort, the innocent mean nothing…"

And that was the last straw. Fear gripped Hermione when she finally saw Malfoy's angry tears trickle silently from his eyes. "He'll pay for this," he murmured, and Hermione's eyes widened when he started to get up and screamed hysterically, "HE'LL PAY FOR THIS!!!"

"Draco, please!!!" Hermione started sobbing now, as she held his shaking shoulders and held him back down on the couch. Malfoy slammed his fist onto the cushions as hard as he could. "_Damn it!!! Damn that son of a bitch!!!"_

Hermione wrapped his arms around him in a comforting embrace, crying for his sake. She couldn't believe that just because of Voldemort trying to summon him as a Death Eater—something he didn't even want to be—he almost died because of his wounds and his high fall, and both his parents had suffered a terrible fate…

And now, Malfoy was left, just like Harry, without a family anymore.

Hermione cried even more as she felt Malfoy weaken in her arms, and his trembling form told her how painful this was for him. She hugged him tighter as he grew more vulnerable by the minute, and she knew by his succumbing to her that he, too, was silently crying.

Now she knew why Dumbledore considered the scenario of Hermione and Malfoy half-naked the lesser of his concerns tonight.

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Sorry about the little delay!!! It was exam week and all…but to make up for it, here are two tasty chapters!!! Quite revealing, both physically and plot-wise!:D I can't tell you all how EXTREMELY grateful I am to you guys for giving me all the support in the world!!! I can never thank you guys enough. I never dreamed I'd get this much awesome feedback!!! I just really hope I don't disappoint all of you!!! I'm doing the very best that I can:D So how're you all doing? How were the new chapters? It's really all culminating now…I hope I can continue to entertain and satisfy you guys!!! Please keep R&R-ing!!! You are the BEST!!!!! THANKS SO MUCH!!!


	32. A Perfect Final Argument

**PART THIRTY-ONE**

**_A Perfect Final Argument_**

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_Do you know how a mosquito bite feels so good when picked at and scratched, because it satisfies the itch even though you know that in doing so, you're only making the bite worse? And do you know how it feels not to be able to scratch that bite, the feeling of irritation, of discontent, of not being able to help yourself? Similar feelings kept erupting inside me every time Malfoy popped up in my mind, the keen urge to tell Hermione, to stop their relationship, to end the evil that was about to come concerning Malfoy once and for all, because it would feel so good, albeit it would make things with Hermione worse. But just as well, there it was, the sole urge that I wanted yet dreaded to do…plain and simple right in front of me…yet it was an itch I cannot pick at, a task so difficult to be done…leaving me with the same feeling, the same irritation, the same discontent. And there was nothing to do about it._

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"I'm surprised your boyfriend let you leave his side tonight," Ron commented the next night, as he and Hermione were seated at a table in the Great Hall, where some of the students were kicking back before lights out, because the final exam had just ended earlier that day. Ron jerked his head towards Malfoy, who was a few tables away, talking to Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy.

Hermione glanced towards him as he ran his hand through his blond hair, his back to her, and then she turned back to Ron. "I told him right after dinner to go talk to his friends…or so-called friends. He really needs to, you know. He's drifted apart from them…and I feel partly responsible for it."

"Come off it," replied Ron. "It's their fault for not being supportive of the relationship. Trust a Slytherin to be just like that." He grinned, but then saw the look on Hermione's face and quickly added, "Er, not that _Malfoy's_ not supportive or anything…"

Hermione giggled, but her heart was getting squished by the thought that Malfoy had just lost his father and yet didn't have any friends around to comfort him at all. "It's okay, Ron. I know what you mean." She shifted in her position and reached out to hold his hand, making Ron raise his eyebrows. "Listen, I'm really thankful for everything you and Harry have done for me. You guys are the best; you never left my side one second. I can never ask for a better friendship."

Ron, who seemed to recover from the sudden hand-holding, smiled at her sincerely. "Hey, it's no big. We've stood by you after all these years, so why back out now? And now that the exams are over, we're still here beside you," he paused. "Well, Harry's off somewhere with Cho tonight, so maybe tonight doesn't really count as being by your side and all…"

The two of them laughed for a while, and Hermione squeezed Ron's hand. Ron stared at her face for a few seconds, before he cleared his throat.

"Actually, there's something you really need to know…" he began, and Hermione's eyes widened as she watched Ron's face come closer to hers…

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Malfoy looked around at the almost empty Great Hall that night, trying not to let Dumbledore's words last night haunt him, and his eyes once again fell on Hermione and Ron, seated a few tables away. He saw Hermione giggle, and then reach over to hold Ron's hand. Malfoy bit his lip and tried to ignore the sharp tugging at his heart, and all at once he ran the same sentence that he'd been memorizing to himself all day like a mantra: _He's just a friend…he's just a friend…he's just a friend…_

"Draco?"

Pansy's voice snapped him back to the current conversion he had at hand. He reluctantly dragged his eyes away from Hermione and Ron, and turned back to the three other people he shared the long table with.

"We've been thinking about what you just said," Pansy continued, jerking her head towards Crabbe and Goyle. "We know you just apologized and all, but I think it's a little overboard, the way you punched Goyle and almost knocked the wind out of Crabbe with your wand."

"If you're going to say that that thing was just an impulsive, protect-your-girlfriend kind-of thing, then you should seriously consider improving your self-control," Goyle seconded.

Malfoy sighed. "Look, for the millionth time, I'm _sorry_, okay? If I hadn't done what I did, who knows what you could've done to Hermione? Besides, I'm not the only one at fault here. You guys weren't exactly being the best friends either. What kind of support was that—joining in on the Malfoy-bashing of the Slytherins and all the other Houses, and even egging them on? You guys weren't even supportive enough to visit me when I was in a coma!"

Pansy rolled her eyes at this and opened her mouth to speak, but Malfoy held up his hand.

"And I know this is a free country and you can side with whomever you want; not to mention do whatever you want to torture me. But turning against Hermione? That was just a bit too far. You can stop being my friends if you want to, but leave her out of this."

"God, you're such a martyr, Draco!" Pansy said, and Malfoy almost flinched as the memory of his father—who'd said the same thing to him—came floating back to his mind. "Fine, we're sorry too, okay? But you have to understand that this whole thing isn't working out for all of us."

"You have to start thinking about Slytherin, and everything you've ever lived for. No matter what you say, we just can't accept your relationship with that Mudblood. And if we can't change your mind about her, then…we don't want anything to do with you anymore…" Crabbe said, and Malfoy, though hurt at what he'd just been told, was still a bit glad that at least there was sadness and reluctance in Crabbe's voice.

Malfoy sighed again for the umpth time. "If you could just give her a chance, you'll—"

"Correction, Draco. We _can't_ give her a chance; we just can't," Pansy broke in. "Besides, I think you're giving her way more credit than you ought to," she grinned slyly, glancing at something over Malfoy's right shoulder. "She's not exactly the perfect girlfriend, seeing as how she's so…_unfaithful_ to you…"

This time, it was Malfoy's turn to roll his eyes in frustration at their conversation, which seemed to be going nowhere the moment it had started. He knew that he would either lose Hermione or his ex-cronies slash partners-in-crime forever. Obviously, he knew what he wanted to keep between the two. "Pansy, don't start."

"I think Pansy's serious, Draco. The next time you choose a disgusting Mudblood as your girlfriend, you better choose a better one…one who won't cheat on you behind your back…literally," Goyle lifted his finger and pointed.

Malfoy frowned and turned around to look at what Goyle was pointing at. "What the hell are you—" But he wasn't able to finish his sentence.

Because right there, in the Great Hall, Ron just kissed Hermione.

The stupid mantra he'd been running through his head just shattered into a million pieces and was blown away into oblivion. And as Pansy giggled evilly across from him, he didn't even have time to process what he knew he was about to do.

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Ron's breath tickled Hermione as he whispered to her ear, "I'll let you in on a little secret—Harry's out there right now getting it on with Cho."

Hermione laughed giddily and as Ron leaned back away from her face, she looked up to see Malfoy making his way towards them. She smiled as she was just about to say "hi", but when Ron turned around to see whom she was smiling at, she screamed instead.

Ron was now groaning on the ground, because Malfoy had just punched him right in the face.

"_God_, Draco! What the _hell_ do you think you're _doing_???" Hermione jumped from her seat and knelt down in front of Ron on the ground, cupping his cheek to inspect the damage, as Ron covered his bleeding nose and mouth with his hand.

"What am _I _doing???" Malfoy retorted. "Why don't you ask your hell of a _friend_ here???" And he made a move to kick Ron on the ground, but Hermione immediately stood up to hold him back, clutching his shoulders. "_Stop it, Draco!!!_ What is _wrong_ with you???"

"Me? Oh, _nothing's _wrong with_ me,_" he snapped, as the few people in the Great Hall started crowding around them. "_I'm _not the one who goes around _kissing_ my best friend!"

"_What???_" Hermione's brows furrowed as the confusion swirled around in her head. And then, as she looked down at Ron and then back at the enraged fire in Malfoy's eyes, she suddenly understood. "Oh my god…" She stepped back and squeezed her temples in frustration. "Oh god…you're not still dwelling on what we talked about last night, are you?" And when Malfoy didn't reply, she gritted her teeth in utter frustration. "I don't believe this!" She bent down again to help Ron get up, and then she looked at Malfoy with an almost pleading expression in her eyes. "Don't you trust me enough?"

Malfoy looked back with the same intensity at her. "It's _him_ I don't trust, not you."

"Then that just proves to me how immature you can be." With that, Hermione led a bleeding Ron out the Great Hall, without even looking back.

And Malfoy, cursing himself for being a fool yet again, dropped down on a seat and buried his face in his hands.

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"Ginny told me a while ago about your once again memorable encounter with Malfoy tonight," Dean commented later that night, as the four roomies played a little before-sleep game of Gobstones. "Heard it was a _hit_, pun intended."

Ron rolled his eyes. "Very funny, Dean. By the way, did I mention that if you start fooling around with my sister, I'll be forced to learn the Avada Kedavra Curse and use it on you? I'll even throw in a "_densaugeo_" for free buckteeth, if you're interested."

"Threaten me all you want, but that huge swollen cheek of yours proves my point," Dean snickered, and Ron threw his pillow at his face.

"C'mon, you guys; let's just play; Malfoy's not worth chatting about," Harry grinned, popping a few Chocoballs into his mouth.

"Speaking of him, are both of you really okay with him dating Hermione? I always thought you two were very protective of her, especially Ron," Seamus opened a pack of Exploding Bonbons and started eating. "That Victor Krum thing is still fresh in our minds, you know."

Harry shrugged. "What can I say? She's seventeen; she doesn't need two bodyguards beside her all the time—"

"Bloody hell!" Dean exclaimed, and Ron laughed to see that a weird stinky substance was squirting all over Dean. He had just lost the game. "Right before bed, too!" Dean wailed.

The four boys laughed and talked and joked around for a while, trying to finish up all the food they'd just opened in celebration of the end of exams. At around midnight though, Dean and Seamus began to doze off, and when Ron yawned and decided to turn in for the night, Harry grabbed his wrist and whispered, "I had another premonition."

Ron listened intently, massaging his sore cheek from time to time, as Harry told him every detail of what he'd seen. When he was done, Ron said, "And you're not going to tell her?"

"What, and freak her out? No thanks," Harry said. "Besides, even if I told her that I'm positive Malfoy's got something to do with it, she wouldn't listen to me anyway. They love each other that much."

"Don't I know it," Ron grumbled, touching his red cheek again.

"Look, we just need to keep an eye on her, okay? We have about a week before the results come out, and we don't have much to do. There's going to be another Hogsmeade visit tomorrow, and that's when we should be extra watchful of her. And by the looks of things, I don't think Malfoy's going to be hanging out with her tomorrow," mused Harry.

"Tell me about it; with how Hermione looked at him this evening, I'm thinking they wouldn't want to see each other for a bit…" Ron shook his head. "Damn, I really shouldn't have leaned too close to her face…trust Malfoy to react just the way he did, the slimeball…"

"What was it you told her that was such a secret that you had to whisper it to her anyway?"

"Er…" Ron looked nervously at Harry. "It's nothing, really…my mistake to think it was some big secret…" He clutched his blankets and started to climb onto his bed. "Shouldn't we be getting to bed now?"

Harry shook his head. "Whatever it is, we have to look after her tomorrow."

"Hey, you know me," Ron grinned. "When it comes to Hermione, I'm a martyr enough to be all eyes and ears."

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Heya!!! Thanks again for the reviews!!! A whopping number of 'em!!! My god…:D I know this chap isn't much, but there goes how Draco would react to Ron's feelings for Hermione, for those who asked me how he was going to take it:D Not very well, huh?J I hope this installment's okay for now! Oh, and I know that there's been another row between our beloved couple, but don't worry, this row won't last long like the previous ones. Hermione won't be able to help herself…they both won't be able to stand not being on speaking terms again:D Thanks for your undying support guys!!! Please stick around for the next chappie, "Ode to Farewells"!!! By the sound of the title, you can tell that there'll be a few goodbyes . See yah!!!


	33. Ode to Farewells

**PART THIRTY TWO**

**_Ode to Farewells_**

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Hermione shoved her hands into her robe pockets and bit her lip, as she, Harry, and Ron made their way down the school grounds from the castle in that fine, June morning. All the other students from third to seventh year were milling about here and there, buzzing with excitement, relief, and enthusiasm. There were no worries in their heads as the exams had ended the day before, and all students were now prepping themselves up for another day of chattering, eating, and simply chilling out at Hogsmeade. Everyone seemed to be carefree.

Everyone except Hermione, that is.

Her eyes darted back and forth, scanning the grounds filled with the hustle and bustle of the hyperactive students. Somehow, she couldn't find that familiar bob of blond hair she knew oh-so-well.

Finally, after realizing he must have stayed behind in the Slytherin dungeons, she sighed and looked at Harry and Ron, who were both very quiet ever since they met up with her in the common room. She realized that they both had preoccupied looks on their faces as well.

And then, when Hermione was just about to say something, Harry looked up and said suddenly, "I've forgotten something, guys…I'll…catch up with you later." And just like that, he sped off without even waiting for an answer.

When Ron didn't say anything but instead continued to walk down to where the carriages were, Hermione made up her mind. She nudged Ron and said, "I'll be right back, too. I'm sorry, Ron."

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_Where are you_? Harry mused, craning his neck and straining to see amidst the sea of blue robe collars the face he wanted to see. And when he was just about to give up and go back to his two best friends, he saw her, standing in front of one of the carriages, chatting animatedly with her friends—Cho, the love of his life.

He made his way to her in an instant, and when Cho's friends saw him approaching, they all stopped talking and turned to him, making Cho do the same.

"Cho?" he said the moment he reached her. "Can I…have a moment…?"

All of Cho's friends giggled as Cho smiled and said, "Okay."

He led her away from her friends and from everyone else, and when they were finally alone, he suddenly felt like they were back in fourth grade again, back when he couldn't even muster the courage to ask her to the Yule Ball properly. What had just happened right now was exactly the way it had happened back then, complete with giggly girls…a flattered Cho…

…and a very nervous Harry.

Except that now, Cho was his girlfriend, and excusing her from her friends didn't seem too weird anymore or too embarrassing either…plus he was nervous for a different reason.

Cho peeked worriedly at Harry's face, cupped his cheek, and said, "What's wrong, Harry?"

Harry kept silent, listening to the chirping of the birds and the soft breeze that swept by, adding up to the sounds the distant chatter of the students was making. He looked at the Whomping Willow in the distance, then at Hagrid's hut, and at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. So many things had happened for the past seven years…so many things…

"I'm worried," Harry said in almost a whisper, deciding to get straight to the point.

Cho removed her gentle hand from his cheek and looked at him curiously. "Worried…? About what…?"

Harry looked down. He knew he couldn't tell Cho everything that he, Ron and Hermione knew…of the visions and premonitions…the warnings and the signs…the letter…the conclusions fast forming in his mind…the theories he had in explaining the things he couldn't understand…Malfoy…Hermione…Voldemort…the people around him…the new power that would rise again…

"The end of the year…" he replied slowly. "In all my years at Hogwarts, something is always happening at the end of the year…Mysteries, danger, answers to questions I never even knew I had…my parents…who I really am…" He looked up at her, and Cho could almost see the fear in his eyes. "The year is ending…and I still have questions, Cho…something's bound to happen, and I don't know if I can make it through anymore without having to involve you or anyone else…I don't want anything to happen…I don't want anything to change…but there's nothing I can do…promise me that when something happens, you'll stay as far away from me as you can…"

Cho immediately felt her eyes welling up, but she smiled sweetly at Harry, and then looked out over the fields, and sat down on the grass. "Have I ever told you about our Dark Arts final exam when I was in Beauxbatons, Harry…?"

Harry sat down on the grass beside her and took her hand. "No, you haven't…"

Cho smiled at him and then looked at the fields again. "It was my turn to take the individual test…I was to venture out into the unknown, through the swamps there, very similar to the Forbidden Forest here at Hogwarts. I was armed with only my wand, and making it through that swamp meant passing the test. I was getting along fine, but then a Kelpie came and got me."

Harry almost choked. "What?"

Cho felt him hold her hand tighter, but she didn't look at him. "It only took a few minutes for me to start losing consciousness, and as I was pulled deeper and deeper down the water, my defenses fading and my eyesight blurring away…there was only one thought that entered my mind…one thought before I succumbed to nothingness and the professor came after me."

Harry looked down and winced. He knew whose name she was going to say next, and he didn't think he could handle her mentioning Cedric right now. Those were though times…feeling his jealousy long ago and then having it replaced by sadness and anger at Cedric's remorse…because of the same wizard who had killed Harry's parents…

But Harry's thoughts were blocked when she heard Cho's next words. "It was you, Harry."

This time, Harry was startled, watching her as she paused as if to replay the image in her mind.

"You were the only person I thought of…I knew that if you were there, everything would be alright…" She smiled, the distant look in her eyes never fading. "I knew you wouldn't save me for glory or for fame, or to show off any of your remarkable skills…I knew you'd come because you're an idiot," she chuckled. "An idiot who'd risk his life for his friends, because you care so much for them that you'd place yourself in danger for their sake…" She squeezed Harry's hand, and went on. "You're a wonderful person, Harry…there's always something in you, something that shines and battles out every sense of what's wrong…you overcome everything; and year after year, you make it through whatever danger fate curves your way…and no matter how thin and small the ray of hope may be, you always stick to the fight and give it all you've got…because you really are a fool, Harry…"

Finally, Cho turned to look at him, and he saw that she was openly crying now, fresh tears glistening down her cheeks, but still she tried to smile. "But…you're _my_ fool, Harry…and…and if anything ever happens to you…I'm so scared…I don't want to lose the only person who's ever given me hope…I don't want to lose you…"

It was then that Harry wrapped his arms around her and held her tight, letting her sob into his chest. He stroked her hair lovingly and kissed her head, vowing to make sure he returned to her after this was all over.

"That'll never happen, Cho…" he whispered, pushing away all his doubts on what he was saying right now. "That'll never happen…"

* * *

Ron took a deep breath and sat down by the edge of the huge lake, staring down at the deep blue waters, his eyes following the ripples that the wind was making on the surface. It was a very memorable lake, where he and Hermione were once taken captives and Harry had to save both of them from the depths of it. It seemed so long ago, when he actually started showing other people signs of his affection for Hermione—Victor Krum very much involved—which had been lingering in the deep recesses of his heart since he first met her.

_So many things have changed…_he pondered, running his fingers against the cold water and staring at his distorted reflection. Years ago, he wouldn't have openly admitted how he felt for Hermione, channeling his feelings instead to snapping back childish comments at her. Annoyed or not, she would still give him attention, and that was enough for him.

But that was a long time ago.

Now, their seventh year was over, they were graduating, and Hermione had a boyfriend. Harry had Cho, too; hard as it may be to admit, his friends have moved on. And he was willing to move on with them.

He glanced up at the Whomping Willow in the distance, where he and Harry had been stuck in a car and where he'd been taken down to the Shrieking Shack by Sirius.

He looked over at the Quidditch stands where countless events have happened; in Hagrid's hut where solace always seemed to take place; into the Forbidden Forest where he'd reluctantly been to so many times; the greenhouses; the castle; the corridors; the towers; the village.

And as the memories rushed by him like a roll of film, he reached into his robe pockets and brought out the proof of everything he'd been through so far—his journal.

He stared at it for a while, reflecting on everything he'd written on it, particularly everything about Hermione. He loved her for so long and so much, it seemed really unreasonable now to convince himself he was finally over her. After all those years, how could he just let her go with a snap?

He sighed dejectedly, wishing impossibly that he'd never fallen in love with her in the first place. It was a very stupid thing to do, falling for his best friend. He should have known it would never work out from the start; he should have known it would only hurt him in the end.

And it did. It hurt like hell.

Seeing her with somebody else…being with her but not being able to show his affection for her…loving her but not being loved back…denying his emotions but not being able to convince himself to truly let her go…

But still, it was too late; there was no point dwelling on the "should haves". The damage was done. He knew he brought this down upon himself, and he was just going to have to deal with it. His friends have grown up; _he_ had grown up. And if he had to run his heart over to do what he must, then he would. She was happy. She was at peace. She needed to be set free.

With another sigh, Ron straightened himself and stood up. He clutched his journal, staring at it one last time. And then, with all the strength he could muster, he raised his arm and flung the notebook as far as he could towards the lake. And, as it neared the surface of the water, a giant tentacle swooped up and caught the journal, taking it down to the depths of the lake with it.

"Guess you're not sick anymore, huh," Ron mumbled amusedly, still staring at the spot where the tentacle had appeared. He grinned and turned around, leaving the heavy feeling in his heart that'd been tugging for years, behind.

Finally, after a long, long time, he felt so much better.

* * *

_Okay_, Hermione rubbed her hands together, taking a deep breath. _Let's hope my intuitions are right._ She looked around her to check if anyone was around, and when she was finally convinced that she was alone, she cleared her throat. "Nickel Knacks."

Her face lit up the moment she stepped inside the study, spotting Malfoy standing there with his back to her, his hands in his pockets, staring at the crackling fire in the hearth. She smiled to herself and approached him.

"Draco...?" she said uncertainly when she reached him, wondering if he was still mad about what happened the day before. "Look, I'm really sorry about—"

"It's okay," Malfoy broke her in. "It's not your fault."

Hermione blinked, sensing the weird tone of his voice. Somehow, he seemed so distant…so…down…too sad for words. She began to reach out to touch his shoulder, but he slowly turned around, and Hermione's thoughts were confirmed. He had on a look of total melancholy, one that was even worse than what she'd seen on his face when Dumbledore announced his family's death. He looked like all the world's troubles were on his shoulders, and that he was too helpless to do anything about it.

"Draco…?" she said again. "Is everything…alright…?"

"Yeah…" he replied, smiling at her. But even so, he still looked burdened. "Hey, I'm sorry for lashing out at Weasley last night. I really shouldn't have jumped to conclusions…it's just that I love you so much and I—" he stopped himself. "Sorry for being the stupid, immature, jealous jerk that I am."

Hermione smiled and stepped closer to him, rubbing her fingers gently on his cheek. "Hey…I came here to apologize to _you_, not the other way around. I'm the bloody bloke who should've turned my best friend down a long time ago, loud and clear. I'm the one who should've kept a little distance from Ron last night. I came to tell you I'm sorry…and that I completely understand how you felt and why you reacted that way...what with the pain of your father's loss and all…" her eyes softened. "I'm really flattered that you tried to fight for me again…even though this time, it was a little too harsh," she smiled.

Malfoy looked down, and Hermione's smile faded. She could see that he was clearly not in the mood for jokes, or for even just a smile for that matter. She stopped stroking his cheek and ran her index finger on his lower lip instead. This made him look back at her. "I'm so sorry about your father, Draco…I know this is all too hard for you…and god…I wish there was something I could do to take away your pain…take it all away for you…"

Malfoy's eyes lingered on hers for a while, and for a moment there Hermione swore she could almost see fear in his eyes. She could've sworn his lips quivered, and all the vulnerability in the world rushed into his soul. But whether it was just her imagination or not, she never knew, because in a split second Malfoy's face had started leaning closer to hers, and she took this opportunity to close her eyes and meet him halfway, kissing him passionately.

She pressed herself against his body, her hands roaming down to his collar and undoing a few buttons, so that she could run her fingers against his chest. A few moments later, she moaned, enjoying how he was plunging his tongue deeper into her mouth, but then she realized that that was all he was planning to do. He never even uttered a sound, and his hands never left his pockets.

When he gently broke the kiss a few minutes later, Hermione removed her hands from his chest and looked at him worriedly. "Is—"

"Everything's fine, Hermione…" Malfoy whispered to her, smiling sadly. "I appreciate your concern, but everything's okay...you don't have to worry about a thing…"

Hermione kept her gaze on his lonely face, searching into the depths of his eyes for the answer she was looking for, but she couldn't seem to find it.

Seeing as she still wasn't convinced, Malfoy added, "Listen, you go on ahead to Hogsmeade, okay? I'll catch up with you at the Three Broomsticks."

Hermione bit her lip. "Promise…?"

Malfoy smiled again. "I promise."

Hermione smiled. "Okay." She took a step back and started to button his robe back again. When she was done, she looked up to see Malfoy looking affectionately at her. "I love you," he said softly.

And it tore Hermione's heart so much, because his words were exactly the way he had said it the day before he left for the Malfoy Manor during the holidays. Whether she liked it or not, she knew something was wrong…and Malfoy wasn't planning on telling her about it.

But still, she thought over everything that had happened, and decided to leave it all up to him this time, hoping against hope that it will all turn out right in the end.

She pushed all her fears aside and grinned at him. "Don't be late," she winked, and turned to leave.

The moment she stepped out of the study, she knew she couldn't bear to part from him again. All at once she remembered the locket he'd given her, the locket she'd stored away and never thought she'd take out again. Her spirits slightly lifted now, she dashed to the Gryffindor Tower, knowing that she would never have to miss him again as long as she had his locket.

Unknown to her, back at the study, a very distraught Malfoy sighed helplessly, finally removing his hands from his pockets, revealing a letter which he'd crushed in his hand earlier before Hermione had come. His eyes went over the contents of the message again, cursing himself for even hoping that this day wouldn't come.

But now it had, and he had nothing to do but obey what the letter was telling him to do.

* * *

_The year was coming to an end, and I truly was worried—worried about Cho, about Ron's feelings, about my premonitions, about Malfoy, about the Dark Lord…and most of all, I was worried about Hermione—little did she know that after her conversation with Malfoy in the study that day, it was the last time she would ever see him again._

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Hey you guys!!! I was a little late in updating because I'm currently experiencing homework hell (with bonus exam hell , project hell, and teacher hell because I'm always late for class:D), and to top it all off, I'm experiencing the dreaded, the most horrible, the most terrible, and the worst possible kind of hell of all, WRITER'S BLOCK!!! I hope and pray that this phase of mine will be over soon. I need some inspiration, and fast!!! Hopefully this chappie hasn't been tainted with too much writer's block germs yet…I hope it's not too awful or anything…aaah I have to get this writer's block out of my system!!!

But thanks very very much guys!!! You've somehow helped me finish this chappie even through writer's block!!! What will I ever do without you all??? Mwah!!! Mwah!!!! Mwah!!!!! Please stick around!!! I'll get over this phase, I promise!!!!!!! See you in the next installment!!! :D


	34. The Locket

**PART THIRTY THREE**

**_The Locket_**

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"_Point me,_" Malfoy whispered to his wand in his hand as he made his way through the Forbidden Forest, which was growing thicker by the minute. He'd been going deeper and deeper into the woods for quite a while now, and he was never more grateful that Hermione had taught him the very useful spell he was using now. She was always concerned for his safety…teaching him all kinds of things in case he ever got lost or if he ever needed help. He bit back a small smile, remembering one night in the study when Hermione had blindfolded him and had asked him to find her using the "point me" spell, and they had ended up chasing each other with their blindfolds off, and minutes later, with their clothes off, too.

Malfoy shook his head and sighed, trying to erase the image from his head. This wasn't really the perfect time to be thinking about her and longing for her again…and he had a feeling there never will be.

Malfoy increased his pace, realizing, as he focused on his path again, that he was almost where he was headed. After a few more minutes of dodging low-lying branches and hopping over overgrown tree roots, he finally reached a miraculously barren clearing in the middle of the woods, where a huge, lone oak stood right in the middle.

It was oddly quiet in the wide, circular clearing, as if all the birds and crickets and all the other creatures in the forest avoided this place despite the beauty it brought. It was very peaceful, but there was such a thing as being _too_ peaceful that it became eerie, and this clearing was a perfect example of that.

Malfoy stopped the "point me" spell and had his wand at the ready, stepping slowly into the clearing with his eyes darting back and forth, as if expecting something to jump at him from all directions. As he stepped nearer to the tree, the silence grew, and so did the fear in him. He knew he got himself into this, and for a long while back he hadn't even thought about turning back, but now he wasn't quite sure that he was not stupid enough to have made the wrong decision.

The moment he reached the oak, a magical and unexplainable aura seemed to rush from it, sending shivers—good shivers—through his spine. In a split second, he had dropped his guard and had stuffed his wand back into his pocket, extending his hand to touch the bark of the huge trunk, his eyes dazed and his heart swelling with an oddly curious explosion, as if the tree was a very being of divinity, come to shed light into his long damned path.

But as soon as his fingers touched the rough bark, he screamed so hard that it echoed through the woods, breaking the stillness of the clearing and sending the wild birds from the trees he'd passed to fly madly away in a flutter of wings.

Pain seeped through his veins, and in an instant, he fell to the ground on his knees with his eyes closed and his teeth gritted. He mustered enough strength to pull his hand away from the tree, which now seemed to have a magnetic force pulling him towards its torture.

He clutched his hand the instant he withdrew it, panting. Realizing now that this was truly a terrible mistake he'd made, he started to get up and leave as soon as he could, but he heard a voice behind him say, "_Serpensortia_"

To his horror, an enormous snake was now crawling its way around his body and the tree trunk, wrapping him tightly bound to the tree and rendering all his limbs helpless. A horrible, hissing sound made him look up to see the snake's head hovering above his, its yellow eyes almost telling him that if he struggled, it would crush his bones to the tree in a matter of nanoseconds. He opened his mouth to breathe, because even now his chest was being crushed and he could barely get any air. He swallowed heavily and looked straight ahead at a hooded figure now making its way towards him.

He didn't need for the figure to lower its hood to know who was underneath it.

"I'm honored," came a low voice from under the hood, "that you acquiesced to my request immediately, Draco Malfoy. Such obedience is highly appreciated."

"I came because I wanted to know exactly how you intend to make me do what you want me to do in your letter, not because I've agreed to your terms," Malfoy spat, ignoring the thought that the giant snake around him could easily bite his head off. "So is _this_ any way to treat someone you're requesting something from?"

A chuckle escaped the figure's hidden mouth, sending shivers through Malfoy's spine and making his hair stand on end. It was a low chuckle, but it was by far the most terrifying sound he'd ever heard. "Forgive me, Draco, for my lack of hospitality. But I believe that this is necessary, considering your infamous…_temper_. Binding you is standard procedure."

"Losing my temper is not something I'm proud of," Malfoy said, glaring, "but if you keep beating around the bush like this, trying to avoid the topic we're here to discuss, then I will gladly be proud of using my temper against you."

"Ah, yes; there it is. The strong, rebellious side of you has always captured my interest, from the moment I first laid my eyes on you. Your very being is…_intriguing_."

Malfoy's eyes flared, and the figure emitted another spine-tingling chuckle.

"Very well, very well. I asked you to come here because I have something for you to do. A _mission_, if you will." The figure began to walk. "Now, normally I wouldn't have any problems with making you do something for me, but in this case, I can only push this through if you will do this of your own free will first, which makes everything a tad bit more complicated."

Malfoy's glare followed the figure as it walked back and forth in front of him. Malfoy snorted. "A being like you can't even cast a spell on me to make me do it? I never realized how _weak_ you've become."

The figure stopped abruptly in front of him, and the snake instantly squeezed him tighter, making him cry out in pain. "I _will_ cast a spell on you soon, Draco; don't worry," the figure said as Malfoy gasped for air. "But a task like what I will be asking you to do requires your will before I can perform anything on you. Therefore, my dear boy, kindly promise me your volition."

There was silence for a while as neither of them spoke, with the snake's hissing and Malfoy's own panting as the only sounds that could be heard. Then, after a while, Malfoy said through gritted teeth, "And what the hell makes you think I will give you my will?"

At this, the figure lifted its head a bit, menacingly revealing a slow and sinister grin spreading slowly across its mouth, making it the most evil thing Malfoy had ever seen. "Because, Draco Malfoy, with a flick of my wand, I can get rid of the last remaining person that you hold dear."

* * *

"Hermione?"

She looked up from the table to look at Ron, whose eyebrows were raised in an unsure way. "Yes?"

"Tell me again why we're watching this," he said uncertainly, eyeing the hologram playing like a film in front of them, as it continued to shine out from the open locket Hermione had placed on the table. "I mean, I know we're in one of the corner tables, but the people here at the Three Broomsticks aren't blind; anyone who passes us by will see everything we're watching."

"I know that, Ron; why do you think I've stationed Ginny to stand guard? She'll be enough to keep anyone out of our hair. Besides," Hermione looked at Harry, "I'm showing you both all these because I want to explain everything that's been going on between Malfoy and me. I've been hiding this for a long time now and I'm sorry; it's time to come clean."

"We're about to graduate and _now_ you decide to tell us? _Ow_!" Ron glared at Harry, who had nudged him. "What _is_ it with you people and nudging me?"

"Tell us everything, Hermione," Harry said, staring intently at Malfoy's thoughts emanating from the locket.

And this was when, after months of secrecy and confusion, Hermione told her two best friends everything they had needed to know: McGonagall wanting to speak with her all the time, the tutoring, the study, the Dummy, the muddy detention, Malfoy's distracted Quidditch practice, the beginning of their relationship and the stuff they did every night Hermione was out…

Ron winced when Malfoy's thoughts during sex flashed before him, but he tried very hard to suppress his disgusted expression.

…their nightly escapades…the prefects' bathroom…

"So _that_ was why Myrtle came up to me all of a sudden! She looked ready to kill me for not visiting her in _years_…"

…the Three Broomsticks incident…Ginny and Hermione's conversation in the Hogwarts Express during the Christmas Break…

"He entrusted you to Harry because he thought you were over him, but then you guys made up and you slept with him? No wonder Ginny was repulsed when you girls were discussing it on the Hogwarts Express!"

…Malfoy's Death Eater tasks…Lucius' punishments…the threat of having Hermione killed off…the last task…

"That explains the load of hubbub about Justin…and his bad-ass attitude his father wanted him to bring back explains Cho's accident…" Harry mused, biting his lip. "So what the 'at stake' thing was really referring to was _Malfoy's_ accident during the Quidditch Final, then…?"

"But I can explain that, too." Hermione cleared her throat. "See, we all thought that Malfoy was behind all the horrible things happening—Cho and Justin's unfortunate encounters, but it was all because of Lucius' threats, so even though you were seeing him as the bad guy in your visions, he really isn't. But he isn't the person at stake, either."

Ron frowned. "What?"

"Do you remember your fifth and sixth visions, Harry? You told me that they were telling you how to stop Malfoy. But they weren't; they were telling you about _what_ _was going to happen_, that's all. And it happened not because Malfoy was at stake, but because You-Know-Who tried to summon him through his pure-blood Dark Mark, causing the gashes on him as a side effect."

"But if Cho, Justin, and Malfoy's accidents had different reasons of occurrence, then _who_ are those people who are 'at stake'?" Ron said.

Harry sighed speechlessly.

Hermione looked at him sternly. "Look, I know you saw Malfoy with You-Know-Who in your seventh premonition, but Malfoy had nothing to do with all this."

Harry looked at Ron as if to ask him if it was time to tell Hermione about his eighth vision, but decided against it. "So what do all my dreams mean then? What is Godric trying to say?"

Hermione heaved a deep sigh of hopelessness. "I don't know, Harry; I don't know."

"Aren't you guys forgetting something?" They all looked up to see Ginny standing beside their table, pointing at Hermione. "Hermione told me that Godric said the visions were signs of things to come, so what Harry's probably been seeing about Malfoy are just, you know, yet to come. Not to mention Godric also said that 'things around you are at stake', but that might mean that it could be _Harry_ who's in danger," she said, making Ron gape at her sudden burst of intelligence. "And what about the whole I'm-not-myself-something's-about-to-snap-in-me crap he wrote about? Has that ever happened to you yet, Harry? Because I'm telling you, if it hasn't, then Godric's probably just senile when he wrote that—excuse me, yeah you; sorry, you can't pass here…Dungbombs and Stink Pellets everywhere…they've only just started cleaning up…" Ginny walked back to her guard post, shooing off a confused-looking young couple trying to get past Harry, Ron, and Hermione's table.

"Much as I hate to admit it, my sister's got a point," Ron spoke up as soon as they were alone again. "But if she's right, then we're all back to square one again…unless you're being randomly possessed by some weird force that's tried to do Godric in before, which I highly doubt…"

And the three of them stayed in silence.

Hermione continued to stare at the video clips from her locket, reminiscing about everything she and Malfoy had been through. She sighed helplessly as her eyes flickered on clip after clip, realizing that there were a few thoughts in there she hadn't noticed before, like the way he'd found her breathtaking that night when he was first attracted to her in the study right after she had distracted him during his Quidditch practice…or that time that he'd actually thought about keeping her warm when he saw her in the stands during the Quidditch Final for a split second…or the fact that she was his very last thought before he'd gotten his Dark Mark…and that thought about him thinking of their "point-me naked escapade" in the forest and—

She blinked. Malfoy in a forest? When did that ever happen? He never told her anything about entering the Forbidden Forest before…

_Wait a minute_, she straightened in her seat, staring intently at the thoughts now newly flashing by her. This couldn't have been in the past; it was the latest of all, which could only mean he was thinking of these right now, at this very moment…

"Oh my god," Hermione hissed all of a sudden, making both Harry and Ron jerk up in their seats. Harry watched as she gripped the edge of their table with trembling hands, and his eyes widened when she finally tore her eyes away from the locket and stared at him and Ron with nothing but utter fear in her eyes.

Ron opened his mouth, but Hermione spoke first, her voice quivering, "It's Draco," she whispered urgently. "I have to go." And she stood up right away.

Harry instantly gripped her wrist before she could leave. Hermione looked back with a plea in her eyes, but Harry couldn't take it in much longer. "I had an eighth vision."

She couldn't seem to find the reason why Harry thought it was relevant to tell her now, when she was so worried and very much in an urgent hurry. "I should really—"

"You were dead, Hermione. In a forest. I don't know where you're heading off to right now, but you said you're going to Malfoy, and I'm sorry but I won't let you," Harry said firmly to the shocked expression on Hermione's face. "And if what Ginny just said is true, then you're heading exactly towards the danger about Malfoy that's about to come, and you'd just as well be the person around me who's at stake. I'm not being possessed by anything just yet, but everything Godric's said is actually coming true. My seventh vision told me Voldemort and Malfoy are behind this, and my eighth vision told me it'll all get you in the end, and call me crazy, but I'm not letting you go, Hermione. Please," finished Harry with an exasperated yet unyielding plea.

For a few minutes, Hermione stayed rooted in her place, staring at Harry as Ginny and Ron stared at them both. For a moment there Harry almost flinched to see that Hermione's eyes had started welling up, preparing for rivulets of tears. But then she had blinked it all away and replaced it with a brave determination, and it tore Harry right through the heart to see that there was a faint hint of a suicidal decision in her pained eyes.

"Harry," she breathed softly and calmly, despite her quivering lips and shivering body. "You told us that you've just asked Cho to stay away from harm's way…but if she were me and you were Draco, it's obvious what she'd rather do…because she loves you, Harry…" She paused, but kept her eyes on him. "And I love Draco…"

And that was when, despite every fiber of his very being telling him not to, he found himself letting her wrist go.

Ginny stepped in front of her when she started to leave again, but before Hermione could protest, Ginny looked at her with a plea in her eyes and said, "You promised me, Hermione, that day you told me about him…that you'll always think before you act…and you won't mess with things that you don't understand…you promised you won't hurt yourself with him…"

Hermione squeezed Ginny's hand. "I know what I'm getting myself into…and I'm ready for it all." She smiled at her, and finally left.

And as soon as Hermione walked out the Three Broomsticks' door, Harry buried his face in his hands and sighed deeply. Ginny slumped down in Hermione's now vacant seat, not anymore bothering to stand guard. Ron was still staring at the door Hermione had disappeared to. "Don't you reckon we should follow her…?"

"Follow her where, you bloke? You saw her leave; you heard her _not_ tell us where she's going," Ginny snapped. "If you have any idea where she's headed, you're nutters."

"In that case, I'm barking mad," Harry suddenly said, and Ginny and Ron both stared at him like he'd just sucked on a dozen Sherbet Balls. "_What_?" Ron and Ginny said in unison.

"It doesn't all make perfect sense, but a great lot now does," Harry said in an almost euphoric yet extremely and ironically terrified tone, his eyes widening as he continued to stare at the new thoughts flashing out of the locket. "I can't explain every detail but I think all my visions are pointing to this…the clearing…Malfoy…Voldemort…Hermione…" Harry looked up at his two friends the moment the images from the locket were abruptly cut off, signaling the end of Malfoy's thoughts at the moment.

"What are you jabbering on about, mate?"

Harry turned to Ginny. "Ginny, please make sure Cho stays out of this, and keep monitoring this locket for updates in case Malfoy thinks of Hermione again. Alert the teachers right now and tell them Ron and I are at the Forbidden Forest—with Voldemort himself."

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I know, I know; I'm late again! It's kind of getting harder as the story culminates and stuff. But as I've said for like, a gazillion times before, THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!! Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou………………………

(after five hours…) Ahem. Okay, now that I've expressed my sincerest and deepest gratitude, I would also like to apologize for not being able to reply to the reviewers…I'm afraid I won't be able to give my occasional "reply to the reviewers" thing for a while, so I'm really sorry. Also, I would like to apologize for all those people who gave me suggestions and stuff. Much as I appreciate them all (ssoooooooooo much!!:D ), I unfortunately can't write what you guys suggest because I already have my basic plot figured out from the start…which means I already have plans for all the events on this ficcy…so I'm really really sorry…I just hope that when I finally finish this story, I can still somehow satisfy you guys . But don't worry!!! I'm pouring out my heart and soul into this fic!!! I won't let you guys down!!!

Once again, muchas gracias!!!!! I've had 281 reviews!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Mygawd, it's almost like a dream:D THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!sniff sniff waaaaaaaaaaahhh…………………………………..

Up next: One question—What the hell will happen next???????? (hohoho :D ) Stick around and find out!!! Love you guys!!!.


	35. A New Power Shall Rise Again

**PART THIRTY FOUR**

**_A New Power Shall Rise Again_**

_Please be alive, Draco…please still be alive…_Hermione bit her lip as she raced through the fast darkening thickness of the forest, frantically waving her lighted wand around for any sign of a nearby clearing. She swallowed heavily as she almost tripped on an uprooted tree in her hurry, ignoring the frantic thudding of her panicked heart as she realized how much time she'd already wasted trying to find her way through the mass of darkness slowly enveloping her. For many fleeting seconds, she could've sworn she heard sounds other than her own beneath the woods and behind the bushes, but she regarded these strange sounds as nothing bigger to fear than the thought of Malfoy, lying dead in the forest somewhere, with the Dark Lord laughing in a manic way beside his corpse.

She shuddered as the dread rose up in her and tingled her spine, and she forced the thought out of her mind as she scrambled about as fast as she could, flinching every now and then as the occasional twig scraped her legs and the low-hanging branches scarred her face and bruised her arms.

And finally, after what seemed to her like hours of meaningless searching, she found that the trees were lessening, the woods was thinning, the darkness was fading, and she could see the faint outline of a clearing up ahead…

She ran as fast as her injured legs could take her, her exhausted lungs could support her, her retching stomach could tolerate her, her thundering heart could push her…the clearing was there…nearer…closer…she was almost there…

And the moment she stepped into the peaceful light, she came face to face with a man in a black cloak, his hood down but his demeanor making Hermione freeze completely in her tracks, her very being filled with nothing but sheer horror.

And the figure gave her the very same smile it had given Malfoy not long ago, speaking in a tone that made Hermione wish she were anywhere but here, alone, without the protection of Malfoy and her friends. "Ah…yes…I knew you'd come sooner or later. I'm delighted to have you here, Miss Hermione Granger."

"Where's Draco?" She demanded fiercely despite her trembling lips. "What have you done with him?"

"Quite aggressive, I must say. I never thought you'd be this brave to speak that tone with me…but then again, the Muggle-born genius has always had a knack for direct inquisition, as I have found out from my servants observing the classes at Hogwarts. Especially when it concerns the ones she loves, am I right?"

Hermione frowned. "_Where is he?_"

The figure tutted sarcastically. "My, what an irritating nuisance you must be to people intending to keep secrets, with that persistent mouth of yours. Very well, then; I'll answer your question, Mudblood. Your precious Draco, I'm afraid, is long gone."

Hermione's breath got caught in her throat, and she found her heart stiffening, her chest tightening, her whole body and mind freezing, as the figure laughed at her horrified reaction. However, she refused to let herself believe his words, even though her eyes were welling up. "I…I don't believe you."

The figure laughed even louder. "You…_don't_ believe me? Really now, I would've thought the Hogwarts Head Girl had a little more common sense than that!"

"What have you _done_ with him?" Hermione pressed on firmly through the tears in her eyes, this time not bothering to mask the distinct quiver in her tone.

"Amused as I am that you're trying your futile best to be unyielding with me, I'm afraid that information is something you do not need to know."

Hermione whipped out her wand at this, pointing it to him with a tightened grip, tears silently trickling down her cheeks now, yet still her eyes flared with anger and determination. "_Tell me!!!_"

The figure's smile faded, and he slowly held out his own wand as well. "Do you really intend to fight me, foolish Mudblood? I must remind you, genius as you might be, that you are only seventeen, and are absolutely deranged to think that the load of codswallop Dumbledore wishes for his students in Defense Against the Dark Arts is more than a bite of an ant when used against me." He pointed the wand at her. "I find your bravado very amusing, but you will be wise to drop your futile attempts of thinking that you and your precious Draco can leave this place the way you want to. I'm afraid your beloved Draco is no longer who he used to be, and is therefore long gone."

Hermione's eyes widened at the realization that Malfoy was possibly not dead, and her spirits rose up a notch, but no sooner did she begin to find new strength in her than her hope shattered into a million pieces at the figure's next words.

"Draco is as good as dead, Hermione Granger. And you will be too."

Hermione gathered up all the courage left in her, wished Malfoy the best, and opened her mouth for an incantation, but at that exact moment, the bushes ruffled loudly somewhere to her right, and out came Harry and Ron, disheveled and panting, who both whipped out their wands and directed them at the figure when they registered the scene in front of them to their thoughts.

All that was left of the courage inside her ebbed away when she saw her two best friends, standing there, ready to fight for her, to fight to their deaths. She hadn't minded dying a while back, but now, she could not bear to have them die, too.

Immediately, she turned to them and shouted in peril, "Harry! Ron! Get the hell out of here!!! V-V-Vol-demort's going to—"

But they never did find out what Voldemort was going to do, because at that instant, he had said "_crucio_" and Hermione was on the ground, writhing in pain.

"_Hermione!!!_" Ron screamed and dashed to her side, kneeling on the ground and trying to ease her pain to no avail, as she thrashed on the ground, shrieking in torture.

Harry's eyes burned and he pointed his wand at Voldemort, glaring furiously. He was just about to cast a spell on him when Voldemort said, "I wouldn't do that if I were you, Harry Potter. One false move and I torture your Muggle-born friend to insanity…and maybe even to her death, if she's lucky."

Harry's chest was heaving so much with boiled up anger and hatred, but even as he glared loathsomely at Voldemort, gripping his wand tightly and wanting so much to curse him straight on, one look at Hermione's twitching form on the ground and on Ron's angry, tearful face told him he couldn't. Slowly and reluctantly, he lowered his wand.

Voldemort cackled jestingly. "_Accio wands._"

All Harry, Ron, and Hermione's wands flew to Voldemort's left hand, and he gingerly placed them inside his robe pocket, looking at Harry with malicious, obsessed eyes and a sinister smile on his hooded face.

"I can't tell you how _delighted_ I am to see you here, Harry. It's been a while since we met again, am I right? I have to say that you certainly _do_ have a flair for arriving at the scene at exactly the right time," Voldemort said in a sickeningly amused voice. "I suppose I should be grateful for your admirable sense of timing. Your presence here will make everything so much better."

Ron was breathing heavily, glaring at Voldemort with all the fire in his eyes, gripping Hermione's shoulders tightly as she continued to squirm and cry out in pain.

"Lift the Cruciatus Curse on Hermione." Harry's glare never wavered, and when Voldemort finally started to pace, Harry saw in horror that behind Voldemort was a huge oak tree with a giant snake wrapped around it…only it was wrapped around something else besides the trunk…

In an instant, Harry's heart began to beat faster, and a horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach told him that his seventh vision wasn't telling him of Malfoy being on Voldemort's side, but of Malfoy being in much trouble with Voldemort as Harry was. Realizing he'd been wrong all along as he stared at Malfoy's pale, unconscious face sticking out from the snake's coiled body didn't make Voldemort's next words any easier to take in.

"You're in no position to make demands, Harry. Have you forgotten that your precious Headmaster isn't around to save you? And that I, having been wanting to kill you for seven years, am fully capable of disposing of you right now—" Voldemort glanced at Harry's friends on the ground, "—and more?"

"Lift the Cruciatus Curse on Hermione!!!" Harry repeated forcefully, despite the fact that his heart was hammering in fear. He knew Voldemort was right; he, Ron and Hermione were all helpless, and now Malfoy was in trouble too—how could Harry have thought Malfoy was on Voldemort's side all this time?

Voldemort let out an amused chortle and ignored Harry. He brought out a black book from his robe pocket, and was just about to open it when he paused and observed Harry's terrified expression. "I can tell that you are a bit _surprised_ to see your rival caught up in this…" Voldemort gestured at the snake around Malfoy's weak body, "…_tangle._"

"What have you done to Malfoy?" swallowed Harry.

"Tsk, tsk," Voldemort shook his head slowly. "Did you know that that very same question was what landed your Mudblood friend in the predicament she is in now?" He gave a mock sigh. "But I will humor you, if you wish. After all, prolonging this conversation will give you a few minutes' extension before you die, is that not right?"

Harry sensed Ron freeze in his position, so he stepped closer to Voldemort as if to assure Ron that they both wouldn't die—even though Harry didn't have the slightest idea on how to save everyone and get out alive.

"Owing to the fact that the three of you are used to sticking your noses into things that are of no concern to you, you may already know that I…_suffered_ the consequences of summoning this hard-headed Slytherin that night of your Quidditch Final." Voldemort began to walk around Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "You see, my so-called followers decided that it was high time to flee from me when I was weakened again; they thought that it was the second time I was stripped of my powers and they refused to let history repeat itself, them being on the run from the Ministry," Voldemort spat out in spite. "But they did not know…they never thought that I was not as weakened as how you, Potter, had made me before…it never occurred to their puny little minds that I do not need them to fulfill Salazar Slytherin's mission for me to rule the whole of wizardkind…I can create my own assistant…my very own Dark follower…one who will be far greater than any other Death Eater…and one who will aid me as my equal in conquering what has long been destined to be mine…"

Harry's nerves froze as he sensed the euphoric tone in Voldemort's manic voice, and he knew that Voldemort's plan was something he could not stop. But he had to…somehow…

"Salazar Slytherin's book for me told me how…I've been doing it all along…and now it has come to this, and yet according to the requirements, I needed the boy's volition in order to cast my spell effectively." Voldemort grinned evilly at Hermione on the ground. "Thankfully, this little slut provided as a perfect weakness to Draco…and he couldn't refuse me one bit." He stopped walking right in front of Harry. "And now, everything is ready…one more spell and I will have the most powerful follower ever…" he smiled. "Perhaps you are wondering why I so conveniently chose the Forbidden Forest as my location. This is because I plan to have Draco with me to destroy Hogwarts right away, and your beloved Headmaster with it. I was going to have Draco kill you as his first prize, but then, here you are, Potter, walking so willingly into my pit of death, to once again show your pathetic audacity, no doubt. Fear not, Potter, because this time, I will personally make sure that your impeccable luck in escaping me will not work again. It gives me great pleasure to be given the honor of killing you myself."

Harry's eyes widened as Voldemort threw Harry's wand to him. He caught it just as Voldemort said, "Let's play another game, shall we? The same game we played when you were in your fourth year, Harry…the same game that will not have the same result this time…"

Ron made a move to stand up and protest, but Voldemort immediately pointed his wand at him and Ron and Hermione were both instantly trapped in a domelike bubble cage, shielding them from interfering with Harry and Voldemort's duel.

Voldemort then gave Harry a malevolent smile. "Are you ready to die, Harry Potter?"

_

* * *

_

_No…_Ron clenched his fists in anger, as he watched Harry duck and run here and there, shooting curses and hexes at Voldemort, who was merely dodging his attacks and was obviously just toying with him.

_No…this can't be happening…_

He looked down at the ground where Hermione was still contorted in pain beside him, and every scream she emitted was like a knife tearing Ron's very soul apart. He pounded on the bubble-like but rock-hard dome cage around him and Hermione, screaming, "Just run, Harry!!! Get the hell out of here!!! Leave us and run!!!"

But he knew that it was of no use, because the cage was soundproof and he could hear nothing but Hermione's cries of pain and his own helpless attempts to make Harry hear him. He pounded again on the cage, tears welling up in his eyes as Harry got hit over and over again by Voldemort's minor spells. "Just run, Harry…please…just run away…"

He bent to wrap the twitching Hermione in an embrace, as he watched helplessly the way Harry, bruised, bleeding, and heavily injured, struggled to stand up after countless falls only to limp towards Voldemort and try to hex him, but get hexed instead.

It took a few more agonizing minutes before Harry fell back and disappeared into the bushes, and didn't come out again. Ron hugged the screaming Hermione tighter, fear enveloping his every nerve. Where was Harry? What had happened to him? Why was Voldemort laughing…why was he saying something that Ron couldn't make out…

It was when Harry leaped out of the bushes a few minutes later, with a determined and suicidal look on his scarred face and his wand pointed directly at Voldemort as he charged towards him, that Ron's tears finally prevailed. He felt like his very being was torn into two right down the middle and the very meaning of his existence was stripped away brutally from him.

Because from where he was, he could perfectly see the way Voldemort pointed his wand at Harry, said "_Avada Kedavra!",_ and made him fall down on the ground in an instant. Just like that.

Anger, hurt, pain, injustice, regret, denial, depression, insanity…every wave of emotion rushed through Ron until he couldn't take it anymore. He screamed Harry's name to no avail, and found that his cry was the loneliest sound he had ever heard.

Voldemort laughed sickeningly in sheer joy, staring at the lifeless form of The Boy Who Lived on the ground right in front of him. It was almost too easy. He couldn't believe that it took him seven years before he could actually kill the boy. Was he really _that_ afraid that this child would become a hindrance to his way to total conquest?

He shook his head and opened his book, returning to the final enchantment he had needed to say in order to give the Malfoy boy rebirth. He was just about to say the final word, when he noticed the red-haired sidekick crying angry tears inside his cage.

_Ah yes, the ever-faithful best friend…_Voldemort smiled to himself. How Potter's death must be torturing the Weasley child now…what with the Mudblood still being tortured in his arms and his best friend's death right in front of him. Voldemort turned to him amusedly. Perhaps one more hilarity before he proceeded with his plans…it wouldn't hurt, would it?

He lifted the cage charm on the two, and once again, the clearing was filled with the agonizing cries of the Mudblood, only this time, it was accompanied by the angry wailing of the freckled boy. It was almost too deliciously good to be true.

He took the Weasley boy's wand from his pocket and threw it at him, and the boy instantly took it, stood up, and pointed it at him with all the fire in his eyes. It was all Voldemort could do to burst out laughing.

"Are you going to fight me, too, boy? I assure you, it will most definitely be of no use. I do not need you distracting me at the moment; one wrong word and this incantation could backfire on me. I wouldn't want that now, would I?"

"I don't give a damn, you hooded freak," Ron answered with a livid fury in his tone that made the delighted Voldemort sigh derisively.

"Well, if you wish to experience the same fate your precious friend just did, then I give you the chance to use one spell against me. One spell, and then you die. Fair enough?" Voldemort smiled in glee.

Ron gripped his wand tightly, ignoring the fear that was coursing through him. He knew he stood no chance against Voldemort, no chance at all. But all the resentment in him was making him shake, and one look at Harry's wide-eyed and open-mouthed expression on the ground made him do what he did next.

"_Flippageus!!!"_

Ron's stomach lurched forward as extreme pain surged through him—he was thrown backwards onto the ground as Voldemort's hex hit him the moment Voldemort realized that Ron's incantation had no effect at all. Ron's wand slipped from his hand as his eyesight began to blur and his head spun in pain…he knew he was bleeding profusely as Voldemort's scathing laughter rang in his ears.

"You pathetic waste of pure blood!!! I gave you one chance to hit me and you used a nonexistent spell to _fight_ me??? I am abhorred to think that Dumbledore admitted you into his school!!!" Voldemort laughed again.

Ron watched vaguely as Voldemort told him he'd let him live as Malfoy's first victim, and when Voldemort finally said the final incantation on his book, Ron smiled triumphantly._ Gotcha._

Ron saw Voldemort's eyes widen as flashes of green light began to envelop him, and in an instant, he had thrown his head back and screamed, because every energy source from within his body seemed to be escaping from him, every tortured soul he'd killed seemed to be returning the favor, and every blood he'd shed seemed to be shedding out from him, splattering all over the grounds.

Ron's ears deafened with Voldemort's blood-curling scream, and he blinked to keep his swirling eyesight focused when he noticed that beams of green light were being extracted from Voldemort's body and were rushing into one of the bushes, illuminating it, strengthening it, as if to give it new life….

And it was then that Ron saw in disbelief that another Harry's weakened body from behind the bushes rose up and began walking towards the writhing Voldemort on the ground. Ron then realized that Harry had conjured a Dummy to be killed by Voldemort while he fell unconscious because of all his injuries behind the bushes.

Ron's chest swelled with new hope as all the rays of light diminished and finally ceased, leaving Voldemort in an extremely weak heap on the ground, with a rejuvenated and completely revived Harry standing over him, his wand in his hand.

Voldemort's eyes turned towards Ron and muttered, "Y-you…wretched little…"

But Ron never did find out what Voldemort was going to call him, because at that moment, Harry had pointed his wand at Voldemort, and Ron couldn't help but notice that there was something very odd about the way Harry's eyes shone…

Voldemort looked up at Harry. "Y-you may think you've won…but…this is not over…"

It was when Voldemort began to laugh like a maniac did Harry, to Ron's utter shock, say unfalteringly and monotonously, "_Avada Kedavra._"

And instead of just lying still like all the _Avada Kedavra_ victims, Voldemort let out another ear-piercing laugh and disintegrated, along with the hissing snake around the tree, causing Malfoy to fall on the ground with a thud. And then there was complete silence.

But there wasn't _supposed_ to be complete silence. Where had Hermione's shrieks gone? Ron glanced at Hermione on the ground a few feet away from him and saw to his horror that Hermione had stopped screaming, but with the way her body was still twitching, he knew that the Cruciatus Curse was still upon her.

He tried to call out to Harry to tell him, but everything began to spin in a haze…his head felt like breaking…and he realized he'd already lost too much blood. The very last thing he saw was Malfoy, slowly gaining consciousness and beginning to get up; and Harry, still with the mask of an emotionless, almost malicious look in his eyes, walking towards Malfoy.

And everything faded away.

* * *

Malfoy groaned out loud as all sense of feeling came surging through his body, his consciousness snapping him back to reality in the most ghastly way possible. Every muscle in him seemed to be screaming out in pain. What had just happened? Why was everything so quiet, and why was Voldemort's voice nowhere to be heard?

Slowly and reluctantly, Malfoy opened his eyes and squinted, only to find himself lying face-down on the ground, with no giant snake's head hissing above him, which was the last thing he had known before he had lost all consciousness.

Where had Voldemort and his serpent gone? Why was he alive and well…and where was Hermione…?

_Hermione!!!_

Malfoy immediately sat up and regretted it almost instantly; shots of intolerable pain coursed through him, and he shut his eyes and groaned again. _Damn it…_

"Get up, Malfoy."

His eyes flew open. _That was Potter's voice…_

He looked up to see that Harry was standing a few feet from him, his wand in his hand. "Get up," he repeated.

Malfoy held back his groan as he straightened up, and when he was finally standing, he looked at Harry and noticed something different about the way Harry was looking at him…

Much as he hated to admit it, he had to ask Harry what was up. "What the hell happened…?"

Harry didn't answer but instead continued to look at him with the same, bizarre and dazed look in his eyes. Malfoy then looked around—and saw to his absolute horror that Hermione was convulsing uncontrollably on the ground, which could only mean, as Malfoy knew so well, that she was under the Cruciatus Curse.

_Oh my god…_Malfoy swore his heart stopped beating. "Hermione!!!" He instantly began to run towards her, but was stopped when Harry pointed a completely unwavering wand right at his throat. Malfoy's eyes widened.

"Fight me, Malfoy. We have a score to settle…something we should have done years ago."

Malfoy looked at Harry's wand pointed at Malfoy's throat and frowned. "What the bloody hell is wrong with you, Potter? I hate you with all my guts, but damn it, can't you see what's happening to Hermione?"

Malfoy was shocked to see that Harry's lips slowly curled into a morbid smile. "I can lift that curse with a flick of my wand, but I don't care. You almost killed Cho. Let's see what happens to Hermione."

"_Damn you, Potter!!!_" Malfoy made a move towards him but was immediately thrown back when Harry cast a hex on him. He moaned in pain on the ground, and as Harry slowly walked towards him, he saw Harry's dazed eyes flash maliciously while he pointed his wand at him.

"Not so high and mighty now, are you, Malfoy?" Harry kicked him on the ground. "You've been an insufferable pain for years…and I'll be glad to kill you in an instant." Harry smiled again. "But wouldn't it be better for you to see Hermione suffer first…?"

That was when Malfoy snapped. He jumped up and punched Harry square in the face, causing him to fall back and to drop his wand. "Shut the fck up!!!" Malfoy said, getting on top of him and hitting him again and again. "You can kill me anytime you want, but how _dare_ you get Hermione into this!!!" Malfoy's eyes began to well up in anger. "She's your best friend for god's sake!!! She doesn't deserve any of this!!! Lift the curse!!! Lift—the—fcking—curse!!!"

Malfoy hit Harry with every word he said, and he was too angry to realize that Harry wasn't making any moves at all to fight back…too angry to see that the usual color in Harry's eyes had returned…too angry to notice that the bushes to his left had rustled, and out had come three more figures, advancing towards him…

"_Reducto!!!_"

Snape immediately rushed towards Malfoy the moment he hit him with his spell and caused him to be thrown back away from Harry. McGonagall let out a sharp cry of horror when she saw Ron all bloodied up on the ground and hurried to tend to him. Dumbledore, then, took one look at everything around him and seemed to understand it all. He calmly approached Harry, who was stunned on the ground, barely able to move.

"Harry…?" Dumbledore whispered serenely to him. "Harry…I know you're in shock…but you have to concentrate. We'll talk later, okay? Now, I want you to get yourself together…get yourself together, Harry…get up…that's it…"

Harry found himself slowly picking up his wand and standing, obeying numbly what Dumbledore was saying, even though his voice seemed so distant, so far away…

It took a while before Harry could focus on everything around him…on Malfoy heavily injured with Snape tending to him…on Ron, unconscious, and being nursed by McGonagall with a "_ferula"_ charm…on Hermione, who was in obvious torture on the ground…

And suddenly, everything came rushing back to Harry like a roll of film: Hermione cast with the Cruciatus Curse…Malfoy, unconscious, on the tree wrapped by a serpent…Voldemort hitting Harry again and again with hexes…Harry conjuring a Dummy before he lost all consciousness behind the bushes…Harry waking up with an overwhelming sense of extreme power all over his body…the bloodlust he felt…the _Avada Kedavra_ curse…Voldemort…Ron…Malfoy…Hermione…

As the painful realization of the truth dawned on Harry, he found that he could no longer hold it all in, and he no longer knew what he had to do. An overpowering sense of helplessness and vulnerability shrouded Harry, and finally, his eyes began to tear up.

"Be strong now, Harry…be strong…I know it's painful, but please know that this curse on Hermione is a different kind of Cruciatus Curse…one that is more advanced…more complex…it doesn't stop with the lifting of a wand…or with loss of contact with the wand that cast it…it can't be stopped until Voldemort personally stops it…" Dumbledore went on calmly. "You've always had a connection with Voldemort's spells through your wand, Harry…so I want you to lift up your wand…lift the Cruciatus Curse on Hermione…lift it, Harry…it will all go away…"

Harry blindly pointed his shaking wand towards Hermione, trying to blink back his tears. He didn't even know what he was going to say. But in an instant, he had opened his mouth, said something he didn't know he could, and Hermione finally lay still. Just like that.

"That's my boy, Harry…" Dumbledore squeezed his shoulder in a comforting assurance, as Harry's tears finally triumphed and he broke down. "That's my boy…"


	36. The Lord

**PART THIRTY FIVE**

**_The Lord_**

Ron looked out the window through the softly billowing white curtains of the hospital wing and blinked, serenity surrounding his heart as he gazed at the peacefully twinkling stars out on the dark, night sky. Nothing could be heard but the chirping of the crickets and the faint sound of his own shallow breathing, and compared to the sounds he was hearing not a long while back, this was so much better. He knew it was three-thirty in the morning and he'd been awake for hours, but he surprisingly wasn't tired at all. He'd been sitting on the very same chair since night came, and now, in the hospital wing with no light and no other company save for the unconscious girl in front of him, he found the darkness incredibly soothing.

Ron shifted in his position and winced. Every fiber of his muscles was in pain, and he was so full of bandages he could've sworn he could pass for a Boggart as a Mummy—all he needed now was someone to jump at him and shout, "_Riddikulus!_" Yet still, he felt wonderful; the girl on whose bed he was sitting beside was the reason for that.

Hermione hadn't moved an inch since Ron had come; she was heavily under medication, and recuperation was almost impossible, but Ron's keyword was "almost", which meant no matter how hard it was, Hermione would still recover somehow. And that was why every rise and fall of Hermione's chest was bringing Ron sheer joy—she was alive.

He knew he himself was in a terribly awful state: he had slings and casts and he could barely move. His whole body was exhausted, but he didn't feel like resting at all. Sitting there, staring at the stars as the breeze gently blew by was all the rest Ron could ever ask for.

He shut his eyes to enjoy the silence, when all of a sudden, slow footsteps began to walk towards him, and a soft, extremely dejected voice said, "It was me."

Ron opened his eyes to find Harry, as badly bandaged as Ron was, limping towards the chair beside Ron. He took his seat and turned to Ron. "It was me all along."

Ron almost didn't notice the doubt and distrust that tugged at his heart when Harry sat beside him. He still couldn't find it in him to forget the way Harry's eyes had shone horrifically not long ago. Still, he couldn't find the strength to speak, so he looked at his friend and raised his eyebrows instead.

Harry sighed and licked his bloody lips, then he reached for his left eye, which had been badly bruised by Malfoy a while back, and winced. "I just spoke to Dumbledore. I told him everything: Hermione, Malfoy, Godric's letter, my visions…everything. I thought he'd be shocked, but it turned out I was the one who got the full blast of surprise in the end," Harry narrated softly, as if he could no longer muster enough stamina to recall his conversation with Dumbledore. Ron ignored the fact that Harry was speaking so casually; it was almost as if Harry hadn't just killed the widely feared Dark Lord some hours ago this afternoon.

Or _had_ he killed Voldemort? Was Voldemort perhaps still out on the loose, once more weakened but definitely still alive? Voldemort _had_ laughed and disappeared, hadn't he? And he had told Harry that it wasn't over…not yet…

Ron sighed and nodded slowly to tell Harry to go on.

"Dumbledore told me Voldemort's spell backfired because of the wrong incantation you made him say, and instead of being able to call forth power for Malfoy, what happened was that Voldemort was stripped of _his_ powers. But instead of this getting received by Malfoy, I…received it instead, because Dumbledore said I had more potential and capability…" Harry's voice trailed off.

Ron then cleared his throat and decided to speak up. "So…why the long face, then…? It means you're stronger than Malfoy, mate…"

"I had more potential and capability to be _evil_, Ron…" replied Harry dolefully. A long and awkward silence followed after that, and Ron looked up at the stars again, giving Harry all the time he needed to be able to say what he wanted to say.

And all of a sudden, Harry let out an amused snort, and Ron looked back at him in curiosity. He saw in pity that Harry was now grinning, but Ron could see right through Harry's eyes—it bore all the inner torture Harry was feeling.

"Guess what I learned when Voldemort's powers got transferred to me, and I immediately saw his thoughts and how to perform all his spells." Harry chuckled. "I learned—are you ready for this?—that _I_ am Godric Gryffindor's heir!" Harry chuckled again as Ron flinched. "It turns out, that Salazar Slytherin knew about the trances Godric said he was getting into. According to Salazar, Godric's trances dated back before they even built Hogwarts—in fact before they even graduated, and Godric was acting like a blood-crazed madman whenever he was in a trance, plus the duration of the trances were becoming longer and longer as Godric grew older. Salazar realized long before Hogwarts that if the trances took over Godric completely, he would destroy both Muggles _and_ wizards, that was why Salazar swore to rule over all wizards in order to have them fight against Godric when that time came. When the idea for Hogwarts came up, Salazar wanted only to give magical education to pure-bloods, because they are less attached to Muggles, whom Godric could easily hold hostage as bait to wizards. But the thing inside Godric wasn't able to fully awaken. Salazar passed all this to his heir, Voldemort…" Harry looked at Ron amusedly. "This is why Voldemort wanted to kill me so badly, because _I'm_ Godric's heir…_I_ might sooner or later fall into the trances Godric didn't completely fall into…amazing story, don't you reckon?" And Harry began to laugh.

Ron swallowed heavily. He never felt pity as much as he was feeling for Harry right now. Was all this for real? Was Harry—his best friend, the hero of the wizarding world, the legendary Boy Who Lived, filled with nothing but goodness and nobility—really going to wake up, and soon wreak havoc on all of mankind?

It took a while before Harry's denial wore off, and he returned to the severity of the burden of the truth that he knew he couldn't escape. He continued in the most grave tone, "Whatever was within Godric hasn't fully awoken in me yet…but just a while ago it almost did, and I found out what I could do…what I was capable of…" Harry paused again and looked far off into the distance, as if replaying the feeling he'd felt out in the Forest. "Once I got hold of that power…I felt free…superior…thoughtless of all consequences as long as I got what I wanted, which was to rule over everything…I was overwhelmed, and I felt like everyone should be under my command…" Harry looked back at Ron, his eyes glistening. "I killed Voldemort…I almost killed Hermione…I vented out my hatred for Malfoy with intention to kill brutally and mercilessly…and if ever I had done the latter, I know I would've left the clearing immediately and would've left you to bleed to death…I got a taste of power out there, Ron…and I…I lost control…"

"Harry—"

"Now it all makes perfect sense…all my visions were warning me about everything that just happened a while ago out in the Forest: blond hair meaning Malfoy, the Gryffindor and Slytherin crests, Voldemort's red eyes, green light, blood, screams, Malfoy, Hermione…the six serpents were the six names mentioned, and Tom Riddle really did fall just a while ago…they all met their downfall…I should have seen it all, Ron…I should have paid attention, and I could've prevented it all from happening…" Harry went on. "I now completely understand my fifth vision, which had me seeing only green with a wand in my hand. Power was surging through me and I felt wonderful to have blood splashed all around me…this only means power makes me hunger for blood and death…and my sixth vision, telling of broomsticks and the Dark Mark and of me wanting to snap…this is all about the Quidditch Final, where the Dark Mark on Malfoy burnt black and I felt like snapping—I was able to break Dumbledore's spell and Malfoy started falling faster…" This time, when Harry paused again, there was a definite tremble in his voice. "Blood makes me feel good…power makes me euphoric…I am destructive, I am sadistic, I thrive on danger and risks and anywhere death abounds…"

"Hermione was right…Ginny was right…the disasters that happened during the school year—Justin, Cho, and Malfoy's accidents—didn't have anything to do with Godric's letter. They weren't the people 'at stake', and these weren't the 'dangers to come'…that danger just happened a while ago in the Forest, and the people around me at that time really did become 'at stake'…" Harry's voice quivered again. "My visions said, '_After the sixth downfall of the serpent, a new power shall rise again, greater and more powerful than ever before.' _We all thought it was Malfoy, because every disaster seemed to point to him…" Harry looked at Ron again, and now Ron could fully see the fear in Harry's eyes. "But it's _me,_ Ron…_I'm_ the new power that'll rise after the six downfalls…_I'm_ the lord who'll destroy everything…" His voice trailed off once more. "It was me all along."

This was when Harry helplessly buried his head into his bandaged hands, and his shaking shoulders told Ron that Harry was nothing but scared. Ron let Harry's trembling sobs, muffled by his hands, reverberate throughout the empty hospital wing, breaking the silence of the night. Another breeze swept by and both Harry and Ron's locks were caressed; Ron closed his eyes and let everything Harry had just said sink in. And, in the darkness of the hall, Ron saw the luminosity of what he knew would assure Harry that everything was going to be alright.

"That's the thing, Harry," Ron suddenly whispered, his eyes still closed. "Whatever that being inside you is, it hasn't taken over you completely yet, and I somehow believe it never will."

Harry looked up from his hands and glared at Ron hazily. "What the hell do _you_ know? I was _there_, Ron; I _felt_ it! And the worst part of it all is that I remember every single detail, every single feeling, every single thing I did! It's not that I was just 'not myself', because I remember doing the things I did! And even now that Malfoy punched me like hell and made me snap out of it, I still remember every single thought that I read from Voldemort, and I still know how to do every single spell he knows! It was the _inner me_, Ron; don't you see? That monster who killed Voldemort out there is the inner me!"

"You're not like Godric, Harry. He was having trances long before his seventh year. Haven't you ever wondered why your 'inner you' took this long to get out? After all these years of it going on hibernation, why suddenly decide to struggle to break free?" replied Ron calmly. "You're not the epitome of evil, Harry. Say we take into consideration the fact that Salazar and Voldemort's cause is very noble. But let's not forget _how_ they tried to reach that cause. They were willing to engage in merciless mass murders, Harry. Mind control. Sabotage. Pandemonium. It didn't matter how many lives they ruined in order to fulfill their goal. If you ask me, Harry, I think they're just using 'fighting against Godric's forces' as an excuse to get what _they_ want—and that is _them_ being in control of the wizards…and soon, the Muggles, too." Ron finally opened his eyes to look at Harry's bewildered face. "I'm not contradicting your conclusion that you have the tendency to unleash your chaotic wrath or whatever once you snap or once you get a dose of power. All I'm saying is that you _won't_ snap, Harry. You've made it this far without snapping, and even though you almost did, you _still_ haven't. Do you want to know why?"

Harry straightened in his seat at Ron's sudden burst of insight.

"Because _we're_ here, Harry. We're here to keep you in a loving, peaceful, and killing-free atmosphere. I believe your environment is keeping your destructive inner self at bay. Because of us, you've always been the righteous, brave, reckless yet extremely lucky Harry, and we'll always be here to keep you that way." Ron smiled. "And if you decide to snap, we'll _still_ be here to hit your head and wake you up. You always have the choice; you can use your newfound knowledge of Voldemort's thoughts and spells for a good cause. You can change what Godric has burdened you with, you know. You _can_ keep being the noble Harry we all know and love. And if you're still convinced that you're evil and foul and Voldemort's the one who's trying to rule for the good of everybody and all that, then just look at it this way—_you're_ not the one killing off everything that crosses your path, Harry. _You're_ the one risking your life for your friends' sake; _you're_ the one dodging three-headed dogs, learning secrets of weird desire mirrors, narrowly escaping humongous and deadly spiders, killing off giant man-eating and man-petrifying snakes, turning back time and risking getting kissed by Dementors, haggling with merpeople in lakes and saving unconscious victims, running through graveyards and carrying a dead friend while dodging Death Eater attacks and so much more, just for the good of everyone around you. And if that's what you call evil, then let Aragog come out from his den and swallow me whole."

A long silence followed Ron's unexpected speech, as Harry blinked wordlessly at Ron. And when Harry finally smiled, Madam Pomfrey's voice boomed out of nowhere, saying, "Alright, alright; enough chitchat! Back to bed, you reckless lot!"

Both Harry and Ron looked up to see the school nurse tottering towards them. "I go off to Professor Snape's office for a millisecond and off you go, neglecting your much-needed rest in your condition!" she shoved two cups in the two boys' hands. "Drink your medicine and get back to bed!"

"But, Madam Pomfrey, you've been away for hours ever since I got to Hermione's bed—"

"May it be a second or an hour, _you shouldn't be out of bed!_" Madam Pomfrey cut Ron off heatedly. "Now take your medicine! Chattering like recuperation is not needed, honestly…"

Harry bit back a smile and glanced at Ron, who was grinning at Harry as if to say, "Some things never change." Harry stifled a laugh and turned to his medicine. But no sooner did he touch the cup's rim with his lips than a commotion made him drop it with a piercing sound as it shattered on the floor.

Because at that moment, a voice shouted, "_Stupefy!_" and Madam Pomfrey fell forward towards Harry and Ron. And as Ron's cup smashed to the floor in bits, they both looked up to see Malfoy, standing right across from them, his wand in his hand.

_

* * *

My very last feast at Hogwarts was the loneliest feast in my life. As Dumbledore gave his final words of congratulations to all the graduates, and issued his words of wisdom before he let us out into the world, the people around me began to cheer, pumping their fists into the air and throwing their hats as high as they could. But amidst the entire jubilant atmosphere, I was being crushed from within. I remember my exact feelings that day as if it were yesterday…_

_We were allowed to leave the hospital wing despite our heavily bandaged condition for the feast that day, Hermione, Ron and me. I sat there, my thoughts all jumbled and my feelings all confused since that fateful night in the hospital wing right after I had killed Voldemort. And as Dumbledore's words began to fade out, I began to drown out all the cheering and all the commotion around me, and all of a sudden everything seemed to be moving in slow-motion, and the only sound I could hear was my own breathing. _

_I glanced over at the high table, where the teachers were clinking their glasses in joy and patting each other's back for another job well done. I saw McGonagall, the ever-strict and ever-protective Deputy Headmistress, whose Transfiguration lessons were crazy yet extremely gratifying. I knew I wouldn't have asked for a better Head of Gryffindor House. _

_I saw Hagrid, the most fearsome yet most kindhearted friend I had ever had, stubborn and reckless but very much dependable in times of trouble. Never had I experienced hell and heaven at the same time save for during his Care of Magical Creatures lessons. Hagrid had made my stay at Hogwarts feel like I was at my real home, with my real parents. _

_I saw Snape, the most horrible teacher to ever walk the earth, but despite everything, he had always managed to surprise me at the end. Despite all my doubts against him, he had always made it clear where his loyalties truly lay. I will never love hating anyone more. _

_And of course, I saw Dumbledore. I could not say anything about him, except the fact that he made me feel like my parents were both alive and well, watching over me and loving me with all their hearts._

_I looked at all the ghosts, the portraits, the enchanted ceiling, the corridors, the windows for owl posts, the tables, the students. _

_I saw Dean, Seamus, and Neville, who had all shown me what it was like to finally have friends._

_I saw my Quidditch team, who had stood by me through all our victories and failures while having fun at the same time. _

_I saw Ginny, who, after everything we'd been through, had proved to me just how great a friend a Weasley could be. _

_I saw Cho, the one and only person who'd made my heart beat like hell. I knew I would spend my life with her and die with a smile on my face. _

_I saw Ron, the most loving, the most caring, the most dependable, the most understanding, the most smart-alecky, the most loyal, and the bravest best friend in the world. I honestly wouldn't have known life without Ron. _

_I glanced at the Slytherin table, and saw the empty seat between the cheering Crabbe and Goyle. _

_Malfoy. _

_My ever-annoying rival. _

_That was when the events of the night in the hospital wing came back to me. I remembered Malfoy, grinning at Ron and me right after he'd Stunned the school nurse. Ron and I got up, thinking Malfoy was up to something again. But then he explained before Ron and I could whip out our wands that he had found out Madam Pomfrey wasn't herself that night and could possibly want to harm Ron and me. He said that he knew this because he had been talking to Snape in his office that night when Madam Pomfrey had come and checked to see if Malfoy was okay or if he had needed anything else. Malfoy said that it struck him as weird because Madam Pomfrey was never particularly concerned with his safety—as obviously seen when he had sustained injuries from Buckbeak long ago in their third year—even when he had woken up from his two-month coma. He then rushed to the hospital wing in time to save Ron and me from certain death, as we later found out. Snape's Veritaserum on the school nurse told us that Madam Pomfrey (the only staff member save for the professors—who'd been extra wary of Voldemort's tricky schemes since his rise to power—who had access to all students and could easily poison someone) had been injected with a mind control curse by Voldemort the night Hermione had come to visit Malfoy when he had woken up from his two-month coma—that was why Madam Pomfrey was nowhere in sight that night. The mind control curse was to be activated as a last resort when all else failed for Voldemort, and that night when Voldemort disappeared in the Forest, the curse on Madam Pomfrey took effect. She couldn't kill Hermione, Ron and me straight on without arousing any suspicions, so she was to cure us first and when we were properly bandaged, she was to let us drink the Draught of Living Death as though it were medicine, and then kill us to make it look like we passed away in our sleep. _

_Madam Pomfrey was okay now, Dumbledore having removed the curse with the help of my knowledge on Voldemort's spells. But the thing I could not forget the most about that night in the hospital wing was when Malfoy talked to Ron and me. We thanked him for preventing us from drinking the potions; I thanked him for snapping me out of my trance in the Forest; he congratulated Ron on using the Page Turner Charm as was narrated to him by Snape, no doubt, on Ron's account of the events that happened out on the Forest; and he thanked us for supporting his relationship with Hermione. After hours of just talking, we knew we had finally made peace with him and I thought everything was going to be alright, but then he brought up the fact that he was entrusting Hermione to the both of us, and that he hoped we would take care of her at least until someone else came along to cherish her forever._

_This was what struck me. Malfoy told us that night that he was going away for good on a quest to find any remaining Death Eaters and make sure they would never rise again or try to bring another into Voldemort's footsteps. And if Voldemort truly were still alive, he would find him and put an end to him for good while he was still weak. This was somehow his way of avenging his parents, and he didn't want to drag Hermione along with him to the dangers he knew his quest was going to bring. He told us that it was because of him that Hermione got involved in the first place, and he didn't want it to happen again._

_What tore me so much was that he said he loved Hermione so much, but it would be better if she thought otherwise so that she could forget him and move on to find someone who could protect her and deserve her more. And so he asked us to promise to tell Hermione that Malfoy had left because he didn't love her anymore. _

_After recalling the events of the hospital wing, I took a glimpse at Hermione beside me at the Great Hall, cheering because Gryffindor and Slytherin had tied for first place, on account of the Quidditch Final not being counted. She had thought that the reason Malfoy wasn't at the feast was because he had just gone away for a while. She didn't know that after talking with Ron and me on that fateful night, Malfoy had left while Hermione was unconscious on her bed. He told us to let Ginny keep the locket, and with a small goodbye to Hermione' sleeping features, he departed without looking back._

_I sighed heavily, finally calling Hermione's attention as the moment I had been dreading came. She turned to me with a look of pure eagerness. I knew right then, as I opened my mouth to tell her what Malfoy had made me promise to say, that I would not be able to stand the hurt that would appear on her innocent face._

_That was how my seventh year came to an end. And now, as I sit here by my window, watching the white flakes of snow falling softly from the dark sky to the glistening sheet of purity on the ground, I can't help but feel lonely again, having just recollected my last year at Hogwarts. But as I turn to look back inside the room I am in, at the peaceful sleeping figure of the woman I love on my bed, and at the angelic child snoozing on another bed at the corner, I am overwhelmed at life's blessings on an unworthy man like me. I have made so many mistakes in my life; I am not perfect. But perhaps the blessings I'm receiving now are rewards for trying to change my destructive destiny and not resorting to evil deeds on the way, unlike Voldemort, who was destined for good things but destroyed everything to get there. Ron was right; I never did snap again, and yes, I probably never will._

_I take one more glance around the room and smile. I am content, and I know Ron is, too. And somehow, I know, that Hermione and Malfoy are out there feeling the same way. I have no doubt in my heart that they will show what they've shown in our seventh year despite all the obstacles keeping them apart._

_They will find their way back to each other again. They always do._


	37. Epilogue

**EPILOGUE**

****

The young woman swallowed heavily and licked her lips, setting her mug down on the table, having just drunk her Butterbeer at the pub she was in. She sighed and ran a quivering gloved hand through her short, brown hair, looking out the door again. She was only twenty-seven, but her hands were shaky, her clothes were unkempt, her cheeks were sagging a bit, her eyes had dark circles underneath them, and her locks had a few strands of already graying hair. She knew her stress was weighing her down, being a single mother, raising her ten-year-old son and having to work nonstop at the Ministry every day for her living. But still, she didn't want to give up on her life; she wasn't exactly living luxuriously, but she wasn't eating off scraps either. Besides, she still had her friends, and her son was happy. And to her, that was enough.

The young woman checked her watch again, and this time, when she looked out the door at the snow falling softly on the Hogsmeade grounds, she saw a female figure with a young boy in hand, walking towards the pub she was in. When the door to the Three Broomsticks finally opened, she was relieved to see her friend standing in the doorway, smiling at her.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, Hermione," the friend said, removing her snow-covered coat as she stepped closer to the woman, and letting the boy run to the woman. "Dean was fussing over our consumption of Floo Powder again."

"It's okay, Ginny," Hermione said, as the boy ran towards her. Hermione bent down to hug the boy and said, "How was the vacation with Aunt Ginny and Uncle Dean, Drake?"

"It was awesome, Mam!!!" Drake squealed as Ginny took a seat across from Hermione. "We met with Uncle Ron and Uncle Harry there, and then Auntie Cho came with Mei! I played with Mei all day, Mam!!! She's so pretty…"

Hermione chuckled and winked at Ginny. "Looks like my son's going to marry Harry's daughter someday…"

"If that's the case, then you and Harry will somehow finally be related by blood. Imagine being related to The Boy Who Lived…you'll be part of Harry's long-lost family! Such an honor…" Ginny laughed.

"Yeah, right," Hermione grinned and turned to Drake again. "Now Drake, I want you to go on upstairs to the room I rented for us and get some rest, okay? I'll just have a few words with your Auntie here, and then I'll be right up." She gave the boy a room key. "Our room is 209."

"Okay, Mam," Drake took the keys and smiled at Ginny. "See you, Auntie!" And he made a beeline for the stairs.

"You know," Ginny said, watching Drake bound up to the second floor, "it's a good thing they renovated the upper part of this pub into an inn, or you would have to travel all the way back to your home in the Muggle city before you can get some shut-eye every time Drake comes with us on vacation." She looked back at Hermione as soon as Drake was out of sight. "Why don't you just come with us next year? You can afford to skip work for the holidays for once, you know…"

"Come now, Ginny; you know I can't do that. I need all the payment I can get." Hermione took another drink from her mug.

Ginny watched her in silence for a while, as if debating on something she'd obviously been thinking about on her way here. Then, with a tremendous sigh, she said lowly, "I hope you know, Hermione, that nothing is coincidence; everything happens according to fate."

Hermione eyed her curiously over the rim of her mug.

"That incident during your seventh year at Hogwarts…when Harry told us he found Godric's letter inside the bag he was supposed to Transfigure…it was no coincidence that Godric's bag was assigned to him. It was meant to be; it was meant for him to find the letter," said Ginny seriously.

Hermione put down her mug. "Why are you bringing this up all of a sudden?"

It was then that Ginny reached into her pocket and brought out a silver locket that Hermione knew so well. She placed it carefully in the middle of the table, as Hermione's eyes widened in shock.

"Malfoy left that year and gave us this locket, telling us to take care of you," Ginny confided. "There were a lot of things that Harry told me Malfoy said that year, and I hope you know that he was meant to leave for a reason."

Hermione was still staring at the locket in utter shock. "H-how did you get…?"

"I've been having these weird naggings in me…like something is tugging at my conscience to return this locket to you today…so I guess now the time is right for you to have this…to finally know everything you've been searching for…to finally answer all your questions…to finally know the truth." Ginny sighed. "I'm really sorry that we kept this from you for ten years, Hermione…"

Hermione swallowed heavily, and the two of them stayed in complete silence for a while, before Hermione finally looked up from the locket and into Ginny's eyes. And to Ginny's surprise, Hermione's eyes were now glistening with tears…not of joy, not of confusion…but of fear.

She was afraid to know the truth.

"Ginny, I…I'm not sure I _want _to know everything anymore…I'm happy the way things are…I'm scared that whatever I'll find out might change everything…"

"Hermione, you loved Malfoy, so much, with all your heart. And I've stood by you, watching you get over him a little bit day by day." Ginny reached out to squeeze Hermione's hand. "I've been beside you long enough to know that you don't want your love for him to completely fade away, and up until now, you still don't. Do you really want to spend the rest of your life not knowing what might have been…? Is he really not worth knowing the truth about…?"

Hermione looked down uncertainly, and Ginny smiled. "Be strong, Hermione. You've spent ten years waiting to know the real reason Malfoy left you that year. You've waited long enough."

And finally, after a few more moments of silence, Hermione looked up and smiled. Ginny gave her hand another squeeze and stood up. "I'll be going now; Dean's probably having a fit already." Hermione chuckled at this. "Until next time."

Hermione nodded. "Until next time."

And as she watched Ginny leave the pub, she found the nervous sensation at the pit of her stomach that had formed when Ginny had shown her the locket go away. She took the locket, clasped it firmly in her hand, and made her way up the stairs to join her son.

She was just about to enter Room 209, when the conversation from the neighboring room caught her attention.

"So it's true, then? The Death Eaters? It wasn't just a legend?"

"No, of course not, little one. Everything about the once powerful Dark Lord is true."

"Wow!"

Hermione's eyes widened and she found herself stepping closer to the door of the room, which was slightly opened ajar.

"My Mam always told me it was all just a fairytale told to scare children from going off alone."

It was Drake!

Hermione immediately put her hand on the doorknob to step inside the room, when the man her son was talking to chuckled and said, "Do you want to see it? Do you want to see the Dark Mark?"

That was when Hermione burst the door open, staring at the scene in front of her in fear. Her son was sitting on a chair across a small round table from where a hooded man in black robes was sitting, and from the looks of it, the two of them seemed to have been enjoying the conversation.

Hermione swallowed heavily, eyeing the hooded man in apprehension. She tried to hide the quiver in her tone when she said, "Forgive me for barging into your room, sir. I'd like to apologize if my son caused you any trouble." She turned to Drake and said sharply, "Come along now, Drake, leave the man alone to rest in his room…"

"But Mam!" Drake whined. "He was going to show me the Dark Mark!"

_That's precisely why I want you to leave_, Hermione walked towards him and grabbed his little arm. "We're _leaving_, Drake. You've bothered this man enough." And she dragged her wailing son to the door.

The hooded man rose up from his seat and said calmly, "Excuse me, ma'am…but your son hasn't proved bothersome at all. He's been a wonderful boy, actually. It's quite alright for him to stay awhile."

Drake exclaimed "Yeah" in an extremely loud voice and Hermione glared at her son. Then, she looked apologetically at the man and said, "It's okay, sir. We're just about to leave, anyways."

"_No!!!_" Drake broke free from Hermione's grasp, which made her glare at him even more and say, "I said we're _leaving_ and that's it!!! Now _go to your room!!!_"

This was when Drake pointed an angry finger at his mom and said, "_You're_ just afraid I'll find out the truth about Dad!!! I hate you!!!" And he stormed out the door in tears.

Hermione sighed exasperatedly and rubbed her temple with her fingers. She looked at the man again and apologized profusely.

The man slowly shook his head. "It's not a problem. I'm quite accustomed to mothers telling their children to stay away from me."

Hermione's eyes widened. "I didn't mean—"

"It's okay," the man said, and if his hood weren't covering his face, Hermione could've sworn he'd smiled. "So your son…I take it his father was a Death Eater…?"

Hermione sighed again. "Yes, he was…if he'd been around from the moment Drake was born, he'd see that they have a lot of things in common, my son and him…"

There was an awkward silence in the room for a while, and then the man said, "His father wouldn't happen to be Draco Malfoy, would it…?"

Hermione froze and stared at the man in disbelief. Could he actually know about Malfoy? Did he possibly know where he was…how he was doing…or what had happened to him…? This man was, after all, a Death Eater…

"Y-yes…yes, it would…" She swallowed again. "How did you…?"

"I can see the resemblance in your son. Same hair, same complexion, same attitude…if Drake's eyes weren't brown, I'd say he's exactly like him," the man replied amusedly. "You see, Draco used to work at the same Ministry Division I am in."

"Draco's…working at the Ministry…?"

"_Used_ to," the man gestured to the table. "If you have the time, I'd gladly tell you everything I know about him."

Hermione glanced at the table and then at the doorway, debating on whether to go to her room where her sulking son was, or to sit here with this stranger and know the truth once and for all. She looked down at the locket in her hand, remembering everything Ginny had just said to her about things that were meant to be, and about today being the day she would find all the answers she had been looking for. With a deep breath, she shoved the locket in her pocket and smiled at the man. "Yes, I'd like that very much."

The two of them sat at the table across from each other, and the man began his story.

"Draco left after his seventh year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry after the fall of the Dark Lord," said the man. "He joined the Ministry of Magic and signed up to become an Auror. With his exemplary skills and spells and his excellent grades in school, he managed to get accepted right away. He trained hard and worked day and night, risking his life countless times…and after a short span of three years, he'd finally become the leader of his own team of Aurors, the Dark Aurors."

Hermione blinked. "The Dark Aurors?"

"It is now an official branch of the Ministry that deals heavily with Dark magic and anything even graver to do with the once great Dark Lord. The Dark Aurors exceed the Aurors in magical, mental, and physical capability. They thrive on danger and having to face the darkest of cases…in short, they are the Aurors who have nothing to lose," the man explained, leaning his elbows on the table. "They followed Draco boldly to fulfill their mission. If the Aurors, now that the Dark Lord has fallen, are tasked to find all who were still in league with His old Dark ways or the remaining faithful Death Eaters and give them proper sanction, the Dark Aurors are tasked to find the Dark Lord Himself and put an end to him and all his schemes once and for all, annihilating everything to do with Him on their way. The Dark Aurors are cruel, ruthless, and cold; they cut off all ties completely when they signed up to become one. Since Draco himself is a Death Eater, some even say that the Dark Aurors are the remaining faithful Death Eaters themselves, come to find the Dark Lord and revive him. That is why wherever the Dark Aurors go, they are feared; and that is why I told you that I am used to mothers telling their children to stay away from me."

"So…you're a Dark Auror, too...?" Hermione asked, ignoring the dread that was rising through her heart at the prospect of this man in front of her possibly being a faithful Death Eater. "What happened to your leader? To Draco?"

The man ignored her question and went on. "The Dark Aurors searched for the Dark Lord for seven years, believing that the great Harry Potter might have possibly failed to kill Him completely, that day in the Forbidden Forest during Harry Potter's seventh year. But after endless routes that led to Him but were wrong in the end, after countless faithful Death Eaters that were apprehended, after thousands of lives saved from aspiring Dark Lord wannabes, after millions of Dark deeds and Dark ways stopped, in other words, after ridding the world of all possible ties with the Dark Lord and making sure that no more faithful Death Eaters were abound, the Dark Aurors, together with all the Aurors, finally thought that the Dark Lord was truly gone, and the world was now at peace. It was a success, and everyone was rejoicing, but then…"

Hermione held her breath as the man trailed off. She somehow knew what was coming, and if it were true, then she didn't want to hear any more of it. _Please, please don't say that Draco got injured badly in one of your battles…please don't say that your leader went on a suicidal mission or anything…please don't say that Draco went on his own and—_

"Just when the Dark Aurors thought they could hold a party to congratulate Draco, he suddenly resigned his position and handed over his leadership to the Dark Auror second to his command."

Hermione let out a relieved breath. _Oh, thank god…_ "Why did he decide to leave his team?"

The man tilted his head, and Hermione could almost feel that he was smiling again. "Draco told his Dark Aurors the real reason he joined the Ministry in the first place, and what he knew he was leaving behind when he did. He told the Dark Aurors the story of how he'd told the most difficult lie he'd ever had to tell. It was all for one woman."

Hermione bit her lip, and could not find the strength to speak; it was as if uttering a single word would break the moment, and the truth she was about to hear, dangling right in front of her, would disappear and shatter just like that.

The man slowly rose up and walked to the window, speaking softly now as ever. "Draco wanted to make the world a better and safer place for the one woman he'd ever loved, but the ironic thing was that in order to do this, he'd had to break all contact with that woman…he'd had to tell her that he was no longer in love with her, for her own safety. He'd had to leave her forever…and for ten years, he bore the regret and longing that he still had for her."

He reached up slowly to clutch the upper part of his right arm. "He also dedicated himself to his mission in order to change what has been destined for him…to prove that he was a Death Eater only because of the Dark Mark…and to show her of this struggle, if ever they did see each other again…to prove to her that he would change his fate only for her…"

Hermione blinked, her brows furrowed curiously as she looked at the man's hand on his upper right arm. Something was fast registering into her thoughts, but it couldn't be…it was impossible…

"And so he quit the Ministry, knowing he'd fulfilled his mission, and went on a search to find her," the man went on wistfully. "He was searching for her not because he expected her to take him back, after ten years of being apart…he knew he'd find her in the arms of another more deserving of her, content and happy with her life…which was exactly how he'd wanted it to be. He searched for her night and day, waiting for the day he'd finally find her, if only to see her happiness, even if this happiness was not with him…"

Hermione slowly stood up and walked towards the man, her eyes welling up, as the man continued. "He wanted to have a chance to see how she was doing, and he would live on with his life, and die with a smile on his face, knowing he'd made this world better for her, and that she was now in the hands of someone he knew would take care of her forever…" The man turned to her and she stopped walking, as they were now both face to face. "And so he waited…patiently…for that day to come…"

Hermione licked her quivering lips, looking up at the hooded man as she tried desperately to hold back her tears. "And does Draco…still love this woman…after all these years…?"

The man moved closer to her and whispered, "He always has…and he always will."

And that was when Hermione closed her eyes and parted her lips as the man bent down to kiss her, her tears finally prevailing. She knew the moment their lips touched that her life was suddenly back in place, and that all was right in the world…and that nothing could go wrong again.

Because she was finally in the arms of the one person she knew she belonged to.

She reached up and pushed back his hood, cupping his cheeks as he kissed her deeper and wrapped his arms around her waist. And then, when they finally broke the kiss, Hermione opened her eyes to find Malfoy smiling down at her, still bearing in his eyes all the embers of his love for her that never once faltered. She gazed at his features, at the scar on his left eyebrow probably from one of their missions, at his blond hair still flopping over his forehead. She could see down his collar the scars on his neck that she knew led down to the scars all over his body…a reminder of his Dark past, and yet also a reminder of his love for her, because he'd only gotten the scars because of the Dark Lord's backfired summoning, which only happened because he'd refused to become a Death Eater with the proper last task just for her.

After a while of just staring into each other's eyes, Malfoy said, "Told you I'd catch up with you at the Three Broomsticks."

Hermione smiled. "I told you not to be late."

That was when Malfoy kissed her again, and Hermione realized, as flashes of her past rushed by her…

…the tutoring…the visions…the Quidditch Final…the Forbidden Forest…Harry…Ron…Malfoy leaving…meeting this man at the Three Broomsticks…his son who would soon finally meet his father…the letter…the locket…the lord…

…that everything Ginny had just said was right.

Truly, nothing was coincidence.

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end

3:06 PM pure pinoy

December 21, 2004

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OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT'S FINALLY FINISHED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HELL YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hahahaha my uber-long fic is finally done!!! Oh, thank you soooooooooooooooooooo very much to everyone!!!!! God, you guys are incredible. You all stood by be unbelievably well!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks to you, I was able to go on. I really really hope I didn't let any of you down…I hope the ending was satisfactory for everyone!!!!! I'm sorry it took so long to update, but I wanted to post it all at the same time…you know, kind of like a finale. And here it is!!!! The product of your continuing support!!!!! I hope you were all happy with the ending!!!! And I hope everyone understood my plot heheheh . So I guess I'll stop my ranting here!!!! How was my first Harry Potter fic?:D It's so different from all my anime fics!!!! Actually, when I look at my earlier works about anime that I posted here, I can't help but cringe at the AWFULNESS of it all!!! Huhuhu….hope I've improved in this HP fic of mine!!!! ONCE AGAIN, MUCH THANKS TO ONE AND ALL!!!!!! Ito ang gawang pinoy!!! Hahahah :D And if I ever get the strength and time again, I'll write another fic, okay?:D Thanks again and see you all!!!!!!!!!! Til the next fic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HP and JK Rowling rock!!!!!!!! Malfoy, I love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FuJinGrL, signing off!


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